


A New Destiny

by Emilia



Series: The Wrath of Sithis [6]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Betrayal, Canonical Character Death, Cliffs of Insanity, F/M, I Love You, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Insanity, Love Triangles, Must Read, No Promises No Lies, Obsession, Ok yes official, Past Character Death, Past Lives, Past Relationship(s), Please Don't Hate Me, Resolved Sexual Tension, Resurrection, Romantic Friendship, Surprise Ending, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Unofficial Sequel, Unresolved Sexual Tension, With A Twist, Working Out My Feelings Through Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-28
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-02-10 19:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 48,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2037765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emilia/pseuds/Emilia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carciniea is forced to return to the world of Nirn with a new destiny in mind: She is to save the Dark Brotherhood once more, her guide Lucien Lachance as her right wing, and a surprise in store. What she realizes is that history is almost repeating itself, this time she has to make a choice in living up to her duties or abandoning it all once more.</p><p>Update: Officially done! Next part should be arriving soon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alive Again

A simple young traveller came traveling alone the stone road, finally coming into a great view of the Whiterun hold: Dragonsreach, sitting as marvelously as it always have. She smiled as a small gasp emitted from her lips; her eyes didn't stick to it long as what looked like a portal opened up a few meters in front of her.

_"I live... Again_."

She drew her ebony dagger, readying herself for what this strange, random encounter could launch at her. The man raised a hand, slowly bringing it down as he slowly murmured, "Sleep."

Her vision was starting to blur and, against her persistence, she fell to the the hard ground before she had the chance to slash at him. She watched him approach, closer and closer... Her eyes rolled in the back of her head, falling into darkness.

He smirked, standing over the now unconscious girl. "Puny," he muttered, leaning over. He inhaled deeply, a light blue gas slowly emitting from her mouth and nose. He soaked up the last of this light, blowing a dark vermillion color entering every crease and hole it could find. Once it had finally consumed her, her body slowly began convulsing. There were gasping sounds, her limbs and neck turning and twisting in almost inhumane ways. Then, as if nothing had happened at all, she simply laid there.

The girl's eyes snapped open as she shot straight up, gasping for air as her eyes looked around to get a hold of her settings.

"I... I..."

"Alive," he simply said, offering a translucent hand.

She looked up to him, her eyes transferring into a look of horror and anger.

" _YOU_!"

"Yes, yes me. It's nice to see you alive and fresh, too Carciniea."

She made a face, "Alive? I just died in my bed, you and everyone else were there... I can't be alive."

"Oh, you've died. You have served your time in the Void, but now the Dread Father has called a second life to you so you may serve and save the Dark Brotherhood once more. Think of me as... Your guardian angel, in a way."

"Lucien Lachance, a guardian angel? Might as well let the world come to an end."

"If you are done," he turned his back to her, "The Dread Father has given us work, and there is still much to be done. This is only the start."

She hopped to her feet, sheathing her small dagger. She began her way to the large city, noticing a carriage containing a couple passengers come into view. At first, she didn't seem to take too much note of this until she heard, "Need a ride?"

She began to fumble for the right words, glancing to the man, Lucien, and the passengers. "I- I, uh..."

"Tell him you need to get to Riften and it's urgent," Lucien told her.

"Why is it urgent?... Ugh, fine," she turned to the carriage man who now looked very confused, "I, well, need a ride to Riften, if it isn't too much."

"These people are heading to Shor's Stone, so maybe I can drop you off there? Only charge ye 20."

"I suppose," she mumbled, pulling out whatever coin was in her pockets, "Three, four five... Eighteen, nineteen, twenty." She handed the man the small gold coins, climbing into the carriage.

The whole trip consisted of Carciniea checking out the view of this new, unfamiliar territory with the addition of the intense silence coming from the other passengers. Along the road, she saw a few men clad in strange armor, while one man begrudgingly followed behind while his hands were bound together.

"What happened to him?" She asked.

"You haven't heard? They're cleaning up the last of these damned Stormcloak rebels. Bout time this cursed war ended."

"Man, I missed a lot didn't I?" She whispered to Lucien, not wanting to draw too much attention.

"Much more than you could imagine. Times have changed, and so has civilization. Once we get to Riften, your destiny begins."

She kicked back, peering over the rails as she slowly waited for them to meet their destination.

 

"Carciniea," she heard Lucien's voice snap at her.

She jumped, her head aching as she realized she somehow drew attention to herself. "Sorry? Yes?" She sat up, stretching her arms, "I'm up, I'm up..."

"Finally," sighed the carriage man, "We're here."

"Oh... Oh, yes, right," she nodded her head, slowly climbing out of the carriage, "Thank you for your business."

She waved once more, hopping down. She rubbed her eyes, feeling as if it was her first chance at sleep in a long time. Lucien's arrogant smile wavered, slowly turning into a frown of disproval. She rolled her eyes at this, swearing in her mind. They began the small journey south to Riften.

"You have a few questions to answer, Mr. LaChance."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, 'oh'. First things first, would you kindly explain to me why Sithis just can't get someone else to do it? Like, I don't know, someone who never died?"

"I believe in past events, you and the Night Mother have not exactly seen eye to eye-"

"In the seventy-something years I've spent in Cyrodiil, I have only engaged on versatile with that wench two times. I never fulfilled my duties, I returned to the Sanctuary so I kick Arquen's ass again, and my kids never heard me so much /breath/ about the Brotherhood. It's pretty damn clear that I don't just meet eyes with her. I resent that, /that/-"

"Bite your tongue, Listener," he snapped. The sudden tension in his deep voice almost made her jump. He let out a deep sigh, calming himself, "Think of this little journey as... A fresh start between the two of you."

"If this is going to give me some sort of stupid moral lesson, I swear to the Void..." She sighed, "Next question: What am I even here for?"

"To join the family once more."

"Oh, oh lovely..." She groaned, "That's... That's just lovely. I've proven my worth, zoomed through the ranks as if it was nothing, kill the Traitor - which I /really/ did not want to do, despite his crime - and now, now I have to join up again?"

"Minimum sarcasm would be greatly appreciated, Listener."

The two approached the city gates, eyeing Lucien as she went through the wide wooden doors.

"We'll settle this later," she scoffed. She poked her nose up in the air as she folded her arms, unaware of the strange looks the city's guards offered her.

"Advice for the future," Lucien tried to hide his taunting smirk, "My presence is limited to you. In other words, try to refrain from continuing any conversation we may have in the public's eyes. They may take you for a madwoman."

Carciniea rolled her eyes to this, slumping her shoulders as she grumbled insensitive words inside her mind. The few people that realized the fresh face in the slummy excuse of a city took notice of this, whispering to her things about this faction called the Thieves Guild. She didn't listen to this, however, since thievery was never much of an interest of her's. There was no fun and no honor, unless it involved killing a thief.

"I do love Riften," she heard Lucien reminisce, "I journeyed here in my youth. A thief took my purse... so I took his eyes. It was a fair exchange."

She couldn't help but let out a smile, wondering if Lucien ever had a purpose or a hobby that didn't involve killing. She wondered if his new life in the Void changed him from starting rumors into simply spreading him. She noted in her head to bring it up later, concealing a smile at the thought of his reaction.

"Listener," he spoke hesitantly, "Focus. Our target is on an elderly caretaker to the Honorhall Orphanage. This should be enough to put things in motion. The Brotherhood now is much pickier than in our time..."

"Honorhall? Where am I suppose to find that?" She said to herself, eyes looking around until she noticed a small little building that read 'Honorhall Orphanage' on the front, she muttered to herself, "I knew that..."

She hung around the side of the building, wanting some information and privacy before she went and made a fool of herself. She leaned against the wall, trying to look busy as she turned to Lucien, "Okay, who am I after and why?"

"An old, feeble woman that goes by the name Grelod the Kind. She runs the orphanage and banned anyone to adopt the children. A young boy by the name Aventus Aretino had arrived here, then soon enough ran away to his former home. He performed the Black Sacrament, trying to contact the Brotherhood-"

"Then that's where I come in."

He pointed his finger to his nose, "Exactly. That's your most likely way of getting in."

"Most likely?"

"Almost foolproof. Trust me Listener, I am to guide you through this."

She rubbed her arms, the chilly night catching her. Skyrim was a cold province, one she was certainly not used to. "You haven't really told me what exactly you're guiding me through."

He only laughed as his response, which helped making some of the thin hairs of her neck stand straight. The night was starting to peek through, she could hear vague yelling through the walls, followed by a door slamming shut. This must've been her cue, guessing this was the Grelod she heard about. She climbed over the tall stone wall, perching herself on top as she saw the old man mumble to herself, not even noticing Carciniea yet.

"Grelod the Kind," she announced, the older Nord jumped at the sound, "My, my. Aventus sends his condolences."

"Condolences? What in the name of Oblivion are you on about? I ain't done nothing, not get before I call the guards."

Carciniea leapt off the wall, into the shadowy shrubbery where she couldn't be found. The older woman didn't seemed unnerved by her, instead shrugging her shoulders and turning to the door. She took out the dagger the previously had, deciding to put some use to it. She leapt out, forcing Grelod against the dagger as it poked through the feeble woman's stomach. She coughed before slumping.

Carciniea was quite proud despite the easy kill, the sight and smell of blood had given her a satisfactory smile. She pushed Grelod off the dagger, wiping it on her pants. The sight of the sudden death enthralled her, sending a wave of nostalgia through her.

"You miss the kill," she heard Lucien laugh, pride in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah..." She looked to him nodding, climbing over the wall. As she fell on the other side, she could hear the door open with a young, feminine voice speaking, "The children ar-" The rest of her sentence was cut off by a bloodcurdling scream. The two snickered and giggled as they ran off, finding a small little graveyard near a temple. She rested on the ground, more than use to sleeping in such a strange, creepy place.

"So, that was done. What do we do now?" Carciniea, rested her head on her arm, looking up to the still standing Lucien.

"Patience, my Listener. We just need to wait. Tomorrow we head north to the Eastmarch hold. Provided if they haven't tracked you, already."

"They can't be that fast-"

"Don't be so sure. Remember when we met, it was only a few hours after your little duel," he smirked, "I remember that night so clearly, thinking now. You slept as if you had never done a single thing wrong." He laughed. "Such deception..."

"Yeah, yeah," she snorted, "Please, those were the times of my life. Every night with Ocheeva and Teinava, those small contract-dates with Mathieu..." She noticed Lucien grimace and ball his fist, her voice dropping immediately.

She turned away from him, her vision blurring as she soon felt the vague, yet familiar feeling of slumber approaching. She felt a ghostly hand brush her face, hearing her old friend whisper, "Sleep, sleep while you can. Tomorrow is a new day with a new life to be taken. A step closer to filling your destiny..."

She tried to keep her eyes open, seeing something in the shadows move. Something kept her from speaking, though, as if she no longer had the power to speak or warn her friend. Her eyes fell with heavy reluctance, her paranoia being sedated as she soon felt herself dream.

The next morning, she was more than surprised to wake up still in Riften, no kidnapping nor any strange intrusions as she slept. Lucien was still with her, which made her feel that much safer.

"You are awake," he said in a low voice, noticing her opened eyes, "That is good. We have a new destination: Windhelm, just North of here."

"Who makes these names? Gods," she groaned, climbing to her feet. As she made her way out of the slummy city, her hand "accidentally" slipping into people's pockets every now and then with the reward of a few shiny coins for the ride.

Outside the stables, she laid the coins on the bench that carriage man sat on, going around to climb on. "Windhelm," she stated, not bothering for him to proceed with his question. The trip was going to be long, she already knew. She rested her head on the back on the wagon, closing her eyes.

She zoned out for the rest of the time, though she wasn't actually sleeping. She could feel them approach the city as the roads became more busy with travelers, the air slowly growing colder and crisper, and the distant sound of horses. She jumped as they came to an abrupt stop, knocking her off the bench she sat on. She could hear Lucien reminisce to himself, taking in the sight of the old city, "Such a wonderful city. White as bane, cold as the Void."

She rubbed her cold arms as she planted herself in the snow. She walked up the stone steps, crossing the old, grand bridge. "Okay," she breathed, feeling her nose turn a light pink, "Where do we find this Aretino boy again?"

"That, my Listener, is up to you. You can't rely on me for everything," he chuckled, his ghostly figure disappearing back into the Void as she entered the city.

"Okay," she growled to herself, feeling the cold violently nip at her face, "Note to self: Lucien can't be trusted for shit."

She rubbed her arms once more, embracing the striking cold as she pulled one guard to the side.

"Sir, could you spare a moment?" This had captured his attention, though cueing him with a making reply. "Let me guess, someone stole your sweetroll?" This had irritated her, but she didn't let it show. "Actually, I'm looking for an Aventus Aretino?" The guard's face paled, his eyes slowly widening with confusion and slight anger. She quickly added, "I'm with the Orphanage, you see. I-" "Say no more. If you really are, take him. He's bringing an evil into this city. He's over yonder," he pointed to a general direction to the right.

She kindly nodded, trying to blend in with the crowd of people in the quaint neighborhood. At one part she heard a Dunmer and small Nord boy talking, mentioning Aventus - this had captured her attention. She guessed the house was the boy's residence, lock picking her way in when the coast was clear.

"Grelod, you old crone! You'll get what you deserve..." She heard a young, tired voice as she entered the residence. This must be Aventus Aretino. "Please, how much long must I keep doing this? I keep praying, but nobody's coming."

She tried to crane her neck to get a small glance, accidentally stumbling over a small basket with a letter inside. She quickly scanned the letter, a feeling of pain stabbing her in the heart. This was the letter given to him before he left to Riften.

She stood through the doorway, surprised he hadn't noticed her yet. She could see from the corner of her eye a familiar blue light as Lucien reformed once more.

"Pity, isn't it?" There was mockery in his voice. She ignored him, sitting herself next to the boy.

Aventus' eyes widened with a warm joy, one she saw once before. "You came! I knew you would!" He hugged her tightly, Carciniea having little choice but to hug back. She couldn't help but ask, "Are you alright?"

"I am now! Finally, the Dark Brotherhood assassin comes and saves the day! I knew you'd come!" He laughed. She remained silent, seeing the jubilant youth bringing back memories. "You don't have to say anything. You probably want to get to business, don't ya? To fill your contract?" She nodded. "You know, you remind me of my mom before she... Before I was all alone. Before I was sent to that terrible orphanage with that cruel headmistress..."

Carciniea's head turned back to Lucien, who still wore a mocking smile. She turned back to the boy, "Ah, yes, Grelod... It turns out, I already killed her."

"Really? This is the best news I've ever gotten! I know you guys are good, but this good? No way!" He laughed once more, before scurrying into the next room, going through some old baskets, "Here, it's a family heirloom. Should be pretty valuable."

Carciniea looked at the plate, then to the boy. She handed it back, pulling the child into one more hug. She patted him on the head, quietly getting up to leave.

"A bit emotional back there, were we?" She heard Lucien comment as she quietly climbed down the steps back into the cold air. There, she let out a long sigh, murmuring, "He reminded me of my kids, actually. Broke my heart seeing him..." She rubbed her eyes, heading out to the Candlehearth Hall.

There, standing right outside the door, she felt an unimaginable amount of pain in the back of her head. She tried calling for Lucien, who seemed to have disappeared once more. She leaned herself against the door, fumbling for her weapon, when another strike hit and she fell to the cold floor, everything turning to black.


	2. Back into the Brotherhood's Arms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carciniea is abducted into unfamilair territory. She is to face the leader of the Dark Brotherhood, proving herself worthy, and gain invitation to join the murderous cult. Despite this, she can't help but receive an odd feeling...

Laughter rang through her mind and ears, the sound of laughter that made her feel like drowning in the pool of her own sanity. The laughter of madness, holding her down as it rang throughout her conscious. She couldn't see, nor smell, nor taste. She could do nothing but feel suffocated and listen to the piercing sound. 

There was a dim light in the pool of darkness, slowly growing brighter. She felt her eyes roll open, the room slowly moving to and fro. She slowly pushed herself up, sitting herself up despite most of her weight being applied to her arm. 

"Sleep well?" Asked an unfamiliar voice.

This alone managed to wake her up, her eyes widening as they darted to the closest corner of the room: a woman, whom sat upon a cabinet with one leg slowly waving back and forth.

"Wherrem I?" She asked, her speech slightly slurred as she was still trying to wake the rest of herself up. She glanced over her shoulder, noticing Lucien was nowhere to be seen. She was on her own.

"It doesn't matter. You're dry, rested, safe. You're even still alive, unlike poor Grelod..."

She chuckled to herself, her head rolling back as she realized where and who she was with. "I see, now. It makes sense now," she smiled, though it was suppose to remain a thought.

"Don't misunderstand, I'm not criticizing," the woman said defensively, shifting herself in her seat, "The old hag had it coming, despite that little incident being a small... Problem."

Carciniea's eyes narrowed, pursing her lips as she let the woman continue.

"That little boy ? He was looking for me and my crew. You took from us, something not exactly in material: a kill. A kill that must be repaid--"

"You want me to murder some," she guessed, though she couldn't say she was disappointed. She couldn't remember feeling a kill just as thrilling as that, it had been too long since her last murder...

"Right on the spot. Behind you are three little guests I have collected along with you. This is where it gets fun, you see. One of them has a contract set on one of them... But who could it be?" Her laugh echoed through the battered and filthy room, "Make your kill, and make it good... I am only here to observe."

Carciniea didn't spend another second trying to get anymore information out. She turned to the three people, immediately identifying the two Nords and the Khajit. They tried speaking to her; one tried to threaten her, another one begging to let them go. This didn't phase her, however, instead irritating her by making it hard to think.

The Khajit and Nord man were both easy targets, though the woman had a likely chance as well. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to think straight. She wished Lucien was here to help or at least help narrow things down for her. She thought back on all the training and advice she received from him. 

"Erase all possibilities," she whispered, "Erase all possibilities of witnesses once you finish the contract." 

She slipped out her ebony dagger, smirking as she met eyes with the woman. She planted the dagger through the throat of the elderly woman, coughing as blood began to trickle down her dress. The woman slumped forward, the dagger left in her windpipe for the moment. 

She moved to the warrior, who was sure he was free to leave. He began laughing, which echoed through the room. She placed her hands on both sides of his face, twisting and snapping it in one quick motion. Her smirk widened into a grin.

She made her way to the Khajit, snatching the dagger from the woman's neck. The Khajit was already aware of where his fate lied, cursing at Carciniea. She raised the knife up high, over the feline's head, bringing it straight down into his skull. There was a sharp crunching sound, she left it there for a solid minute before slowly sliding it out.

"My, my," said the woman, "You have a really knack for death, hm? Three possibilities, three victims. Must have been one of them, right? So why take chances..."

"I'd like to thank an old friend for teaching me a thing or two," Carciniea chuckled.

"Then I think we can take this to a new level," the woman declared, tossing her the key to the abandoned shack. "In the southwest region, inside the Pine Forest there will be a door. The Black Door. To gain entrance you'd need to answer the question correctly - the answer being 'Silence, my brother'. Don't disappoint me, now. We'll be waiting."

Carciniea managed to catch it, despite the small item almost slipping through her nimble fingers. "Wait, you don't even-"

"My dear, we already know about you. Down to the last detail..." Astrid laughed.

She saw this as her cue to leave, running off into the marshy night. 

Lucky for her she found a town not too far from the shack. She purchased a room, taking the privacy she had to relax without disturbance. She inspected her new body, a task she was surprised she had yet to do. Nonetheless, she was not disappointed with Lucien's choice of body. She only hoped it was as acrobatic as her old one when she was still a lively youth.

"You did marvelous," spoke the deep, ghostly whisper belonging to Lucien Lachance.

She didn't jump nor seem affected by it in the slightest. "About time you show your face," she snapped, "While I was left all alone with Gods know what--"

"I can not always be there," he folded his arms, "But that does not change how well you did ."

She gave him a quick glance before turning away, "I was following advice you gave me..."

"And you performed it well," he stepped in front of her. "Complimenting aside, we need to focus. We need to get to that Sanctuary."

She sighed, sitting down on the bed, "Where were we suppose to go again? I remember something about a Pine Forest, but it's not like I have a map or anything."

"Then let me guide you, sister." 

The door flew open with a flick of his wrist, Lucien walking out without waiting any confirmation from Carciniea. She sighed as she hopped to his feet, groaning under her breath, "The nerve of that man..."

 

The journey was a more straightforward one: They mainly headed south, taking the whole night before they found a more warm climate. Dawn was beginning to break through the dark sky, though she didn't see other than the slight pink hue in the sky. Even then, it was difficult to see through the thick trees. Her and Lucien had taken a break on their trip, giving Carciniea a few minutes to rest and catch her breath.

"We are close. I can almost taste," Lucien breathed, leaning against one of the thick oak trees. Carciniea sat on a stump, rubbing her eyes. She didn't talk much on this trip from a strange exhaustion that never seemed to leave her, only coming back more powerful than the rest. 

She felt the hairs on her back began to stand as she heard a faint growl. She slowly turned her head, careful not to make any sudden moves; from the corner of her eye she could see two glowing, animalistic eyes. She didn't care to find out what it was, only jumping without warning and sprinting off and away. She could hear its howl as she jumped over a tree log, almost tripping and stumbling. She caught herself in time, not daring look behind her in fear that the beast was closer than she wished.

She saw rocks forming a small cliff, taking the chance as she leapt off. Lucky for her, she landed in a dark-colored pool not too far. She felt her vision began to go in and out, jumping back up to her feet as she looked for the beast to show itself. Out of the corner of her eye, on the other hand, she saw a familiar red glow.

"Not to worry, it is gone," Lucien spoke, "But lucky it came, or we may not have found it." 

She didn't respond, her gaze and body slowly drawing closer to what she recognized to be the Black Door. She pressed herself onto her tip toes, one arm slowly extending the red hand that emitted a strange glow. 

"What is the music of life?" She heard it ask in that familiar, unearthly whisper. 

She bit her lip, hearing Lucien make yet another remark about the Door itself. She retracted her hand, responding with the phrase she was instructed to use: "Silence, my brother."

"Welcome home."

The door let out a large clunking sound, eerily opening by itself. She didn't move, but stood with hesitance. She forgot about the strange beast, the woman from the abandoned shack, even her precious 'destiny'. There was something about this sanctuary that didn't feel right... That didn't feel at home.

"Listener, do not be so distressed," Lucien tried to comfort her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "With friends like these, you will never go wrong." There was something ominous in his laugh.


	3. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carciniea is introduced as a full-fledged member in the guild of assassins. She watches them closely, trying to fit in herself, which goes awry fast.

She climbed down the dimly lit steps, not bothering to look over shoulder. She knew Lucien had dissipated once more, but this time she figured he could let her handle the situation. Having some privacy was nice, though the empty feeling of loneliness still managed to fill her stomach. 

She noticed the tapestries that bore the symbol of the Black Hand, sending her into a bittersweet wave of nostalgia. She could feel the ends of her smile curling into a half smile. She came into a large room, decorated with a Nord woman leaning against a wall. 

"Ah, nice to see you home. I hope you find the place comforting," she smirked, taking notice of her.

"You got me," Carciniea proclaimed, folding her arms, "Where do I go from here?" 

"You start your new life with the Dark Brotherhood, of course. You're part of a family here in the sanctuary, after all. Get comfortable, make friends, for you are welcome here."

Carciniea stayed quiet, not entirely trusting this leader. There was something that she was hiding and that made her weary of the woman's intentions. The tension slowly grew as their eyes battled against one another.

"The silent type... Suits you well. Gives you a mysterious aura, something that I happen to like a lot." She laughed, pushing herself off the wall to balance on her own.

Carciniea tried to suppress a lazy roll of her eyes. 

She straightened herself, Carciniea silently hoping she got the hint, "Now, down to business. I'm in the middle of arranging a job for you so there's not really much I myself can give you. Talk to Nazir in the meantime, he should have some contracts to tide you over. The Night Mother will arrive soon, then things should get very interesting."

She turned to leave, giving Carciniea the privacy to cringe at the mention of the Night Mother. She was ready to finally breath easy without a tense silence hanging over her head.

"Oh, I almost forgot--" 

Carciniea released a string of swears in her head, emitting a low grunt. She was hit with a nicely folded piece of familiar armor, followed by boots, cowl and gloves thrown on the floor.

"The armor of the Dark Brotherhood," she heard the woman say, hearing a low chuckle, "Think of it as your house warming present from all of us."

She slowly began to unfold, a nostalgic smile spread across her face as whispered to herself, "Dark as the Void."

She looked up to see the woman wearing a confused expression on her face. Carciniea assumed a defensive position, immediately letting out a low growl, "What? A paid murderer isn't allowed to be poetic?"

The woman found this amusing as she smirked, shaking her head as she turned her back and left to the room on Carciniea's left. She remembered her mentioning something pertaining to meeting the other members; despite Carciniea's desire to steer away from them, she didn't seem to have much of a choice if she wanted to get contracts done.

She took the moment of a lone room and dressed herself. She was happy to be rid of the tacky and slightly annoying armor and took great joy in the thought of being back in the skintight armor. She garbed herself with all but the cowl, never liking having her face covered due to the old, childish fear she had that she'd suffocate in it. 

Feeling comfortable in what felt like her second skin, she ventured deeper into the sanctuary, forgetting her rejoice in her isolation and wishing Lucien would at least show himself. It would surely calm her nerves, that much was for sure. She hid in the shadows, watching the small group converse and laugh. Something about it tugged at her heart as she listened: 

"Do that part again! Where he tried to buy you candy! Ha ha ha!" She heard the Argonian, who was laugh so hard she thought he was ready to fall over.

The small little girl straightened her dress, still trying to collect herself. "Okay, okay. Here we go," she cleared her throat, deepening her voice, " 'Ooh, what a pretty little girl. Would a sweetie like a sweetie? How about some chocolate?' Oh yes, kind sir. My parents left me all alone, and I'm so hungry. I know a shortcut to the shop, right through this alley... 'Yes, very good. My, it is dark down here. Oh, but how beautiful you are. Such a lovely smile with lovely... Teeth... Your teeth! No! Ahh!!'"

The girl broke off as her face turned a light shade of pink from laughing so hard.

"Oh Babette, what a wicked child you are," a female Dunmer commented, shaking her head while containing a smile.

"What about you, Festus? How did that last contract turn out?" Asked a Redguard, turning his head to a much older man.

"Yes, please, old man. Tell us your tales of your great wizardry..." A rugged, animalistic man growled, scratching his scraggly beard.

"The young and stupid, always mocking the experienced and brilliant eh? My contract went very well, for your information." The older man let out a loud snort, thinking he had won that game of wits, before turning to the Redguard, "Tried a new spell. Just a little something I've been practicing in my spare time. Come so close to turning a priest inside out. So messy..." 

"And what of you, Arnbjorn? Something of a merchant? A Khajit I believe?" The Dunmer crossed her arms, a small smirk danced across her face.

"A big doggy chasing a little kitty? How cute," mocked the little girl, who she guessed was the one named Babette.

Everyone erupted into fits of laughter and snickers, the man named Arnbjorn let out a low, but fierce growl. 

"I am not adorable, it wasn't funny, and he wasn't a merchant," Arnbjorn snapped, the snickering quickly dying down, "He was a monk. A master of the Whispering Fang technique. He's done and dead now... And I have new fur for a loincloth."

He got a few more laughs, though most people were still snickering over the small Babette's comment. Carciniea also couldn't help herself but to laugh, feeling as if she had just came home for the first time.

She soon noticed everyone break off from the circle, leaving to attend their own things. She had forgotten the person she had to see our contracts, giving her more reason to wish Lucien was there. She swallowed her pride, taking a shot with the Argonian. She figured it was fitting, since Ocheeva was the first member she talked to when she first joined the Brotherhood.

She scurried in between the others, too nervous to make eye contact with any of them. She tapped on his shoulder. The Argonian, turned to her, a genuine kind smile on his face, "Welcome, my sister. You have made the right choice in joining us, I assure you."

This much was enough to calm her wired nerves, her shoulders slowly lowered as she showed a kind smile, "I- I was actually wondering who to go to about contracts?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, pointing to the Redguard who was heading in the opposite direction they were. "Nazir is your guy to go to," he patted her shoulder, "If you need anything else, just ask ol' Veezara."

She curtly nodded, keep her eyes locked on Veezara. This wasn't the greatest idea as she bumped into someone big and much taller than she.

"Watch where you're going!" barked the large man, Arnbjorn.

Initially, her first reaction was to apologize and scurry away back into the shadows. But, something in her resisted that and instead barked right back, "Beat it, dog. Before I get your master to beat you for me."

He slowly reached for his weapon which was sheathed against his back. At that point, she glanced to Nazir, taking this moment to scurry away, "Oh look at that, contracts to fulfill."

Arnbjorn didn't bother chasing after her, which made her thank the Dread Lord who must've been watching over her. She caught her breath, the Redguard had yet to notice her. 

"I, uh-" She felt her words catching themselves in her throat. 

He turned to her, his eyes scanning every inch of her. "So you're the newest member of our little dwindling, dysfunctional family? I've heard quite a bit about you."

She felt her cheeks and the peak of her ears slightly burn, though in the back of her head she couldn't help but wonder what he meant by dwindling... "I can assure you will be hearing even more of me," she chuckled, slightly bowing to him.

"Oh, cocky," he let out a mocking laugh, slicing her confidence in half, "I give you three days before you turn up dead... But, I've been proven wrong before."

"That, uh woman-" She made a motion to the first room in the front, though Nazir looked confused to whom she was confused. She made a few additional gestures, trying to describe the leader, "Tall, Nord I think, um... I think she's the leader or something?"

"I believe you are referring to Astrid, my dear," he let out a chuckle.

She quickly nodded, her mind trying to sway away from any impending judgement, "Yeah, her. Uh, Astrid said you could have some contracts or something for me?"

"Did she? Well as it turns out, there are a few contracts that have been lingering we haven't had the chance to get through. As well as a few that come dribbling, but I'll save those for when you're available."

"Sounds pretty simple."

"It is. These aren't particularly glamorous. But they'll keep you busy, that's for sure. There's no limit or anything - the targets shouldn't be going anywhere. You can turn each one in or turn them all in as a group. Whichever works for you."

"I- I suppose I'll take my first set, then."

"I've got three available, since you're so certain you'll zoom through the ranks," he took out a sheet of parchment for his pocket, reading it, "Narfi, a beggar in Ivardstead; Ennodius Papius the former miller; then you have Beitild, a miner in the Dawnstar."

Carciniea didn't really respond, though he had the hint she was lost as a fly began buzzing around her eyes without her notice. He squished it in his hands, the noise almost having her jump out of her skin. 

"Do you have that down?" His voiced boomed. She could feel herself almost shrink compared to his taller, more intimidating stature.

"C-Could I have that written down?"

He groaned, slamming the parchment against her chest. She caught the parchment, her hands slightly shaking. "There. Come back when you at least have one done." He turned away, leaving her to scurry back to the outside world.

 

Carciniea pushed herself against the Black Door, more than happy just to be out of there. 

"Must I ask how it went?" She heard Lucien's cocky voice, materializing next to her. 

"Never... Again..." She breathed, feeling her heart wanting to burst out of her chest, "Everyone seems rather cold, except about one. I even thought one of the bigger ones were ready to use me as a chew toy..."

She felt her throat begin to become dry, her vision going blurry as tears slowly welled up. "It doesn't feel like home, Luci-"

"Stop that," he snapped, his glowing eyes with a certain coldness, "Hearing someone sob... The most annoying sound any living, breathing thing could make. This is a new time, a new place. Things will be different, do you not see?"

She fell to the ground, rubbing her eyes. She dared not so much as glance to him through her peripheral vision.

"Pull yourself together," he turned away and began to walk, "There is much work to be done." 

With much reluctance, she finally dried her eyes and pulled herself to her feet as she caught up to her feet. 

 

Lucien started her off on something somewhat easy: He had her hunt after a man who had been struck in poverty, Narfi. The traveling was a pain in the back for her, but she kept a closed mouth most of the way due to Lucien's surprisingly sharp behavior toward her. 

They soon enough managed to make it to Ivarstead, though she couldn't really enter the little town in her armor. She scouted the town for the day, keeping a close eye on the beggar while remaining in the shadows. She quietly followed him as he made his way to an abandoned shack, a sharp, yet wide slit to the center of throat and he dropped without a problem.

The second target was more of an accident gone right. They headed north, to the much colder parts of the generally icy province. It took some tracking, but they managed to get a location for their second contract: Ennodius Papius, who lived a reclusive life not too far from a mill. She had him in arm's reach, yet she was much to afraid in case someone in the mill had been watching. This caused irritation in Lucien whom made her jump, causing her to accidentally set the poor blighter on fire. Needless to say, she made a ran for it. 

Now, they had but one target left. A miner, even more up north in a small city. Carciniea was already freezing, no help from the skintight suit, though she insisted if she went any farther she'd be a perfect candidate for the Icy Brotherhood. Lucien didn't find it too humorous.

"Always around guardsmen," Lucien reported. The two were atop one of the roofs, silently observing Beitild. "How are you going to handle this?"

Carciniea stayed silent for a long moment, watching every movement the woman made with great interest. "Couldn't I just break into her home?"

He gave a nod, "That's one way."

"But... I want to have fun with this one," a devilish grin danced across her face. Lucien only laughed in agreement.

 

Carciniea hid in the woman's home, watching as she came in during the evening to eat and eventually sleep. Lucien continuously urged her to kill her as she slept, but ther was no fun in that. She purposely tipped over a fragile bowl, smiling as the shattering sound woke the woman.

"Is anyone out there?" She weakly asked.

"Someone wants you dead, Beitild."

"Oh really? Is that someone my so-called husband, Leigelf? If that's the case, the feeling's mutual."

Carciniea chuckled, hopping down from her cabinet and approached her. "I represent the Dark Brotherhood. Your death is at hand!"

"We'll just see about that, won't we?" She took out her pickaxe.

Beitild charged at her, Carciniea dropping to the floor and using her leg power to kick her through the door. She dropped her axe as she flew through the door, hitting the small wooden steps hard as she tumbled onto the snowy ground. There weren't any guards coming to her rescue yet, giving her the perfect moment for one last strike. She picked up the dull pickaxe and landing it in her brain. Beitild finally, once and for all, fell to the floor. 

Carciniea didn't hesitate to make a dash for it, though it looked as though the guards didn't really care to investigate.

She rubbed her arms, the icy cold nipping at her face but she had to keep her arms warm. "I-Is that all?" She asked, teeth chattering.

Lucien nodded, turning south. "We can go home." He confirmed. 

She made a face at the fact she had to see all those awful people again. "I won't quite call it home..." She followed after him, "I mean, it's not even hidden that well. I just found it by accident! There's no secrecy to it, really. The old sanctuary in Cheydinhal? Now, that one, was a real one."

"You live in the past," he sighed, "And that past is far behind us all. Give them a try, talk to them, then you will realize they are not all bad."

She rolled her eyes, already knowing she wasn't going to take his advice in mind. "There's one thing I can give it, though. I've seen that little town not too far from the sanctuary and I can honestly say it reminds me of Cheydinhal's poor little brother."

"Like I said, there is some resemblance to our old home. I suppose that should give you a large hint for future events."

She let his words sink in, though her mind kept redrawing a blank. She shook this off, thinking it was one of his little tricks he enjoyed pulling on her. She stretched her arms, "Sanctuary, here we come."


	4. The Little Man in Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carciniea comes back to meet a strange little jester along with an old enemy: The Unholy Matron. She ends up passing out in the beginning of a violent episode, thankfully nobody was harmed. Despite this, she is set out on her first, large contract. The road to Markarth, however, is exhausting...

"Oh, Nazir!" Carciniea proudly sang, more than ready to prove him wrong from what he had previously stated.

She tripped on one of the old steps, falling on her face in the main room. It was one of those moments she was more than happy not to have Lucien accompany her as well as the room being strangely empty. 

"Guys?" She asked, proceeding further into the little underground quarters they had. She watched herself to not make a fool of her once more.

She saw everyone clambered around, with the addition of a little Imperial man dressed like a jester. The mere sight of him had her giggling, though she managed to contain the small outburst after a few seconds. Luckily, this didn't attract any attention.

"The Night Mother is mother of all! It is her voice we follow! HER WILL! Would you dare risk disobedience? And being rewarded with... punishment?" 

She watched this odd little man with a sense of amazement swelling in her stomach; something about him made her want to sing, to laugh, to dance her way back into the Void. But the topic he was defending gave her that much more reason to be weary of him. Why did it seem everyone was so simply manipulated by the Night Mother? Have they lost all sense of sanity?

"Keep talking. We'll see then who gets 'punished'," said Arnbjorn, who stood faithfully behind Astrid.

"Now, now you angry pup. Can't you manage to behave yourself for once?" The older wizard snorted, turning to face the Imperial, "Mister Cicero, I am for one glad to see you and the Night Mother have arrived safely. You-"

"YOU!" Carciniea's sight began to blur into a vermillion tint, raging seething at the seems. Her eyes weren't locked on the Cicero fellow, Arnbjorn, Astrid, or anyone. She could feel the familiar cold, presence void of life within the crate. She pulled out her dark, engraved dagger. She stormed her way to the crate, her vision darkening with each heavy footstep. 

"YOU FOUL, DESPICABLE, WRETCHED OLD... OLD-" 

She wasn't sure if it was the sudden swirl of pure anger that made her light headed or exhaustion finally caving in on her. She was ready to strike, but her legs gave and she hit the hard earth. Her mind spun around, but her eyes remained firmly closed as she passed out in front of the crate.

 

~*~ 

 

"Is she going to be alright?"

"I gave her some tonics to help her rest, she should be just fine," she heard the young, small Babette.

Carciniea's eyes a fraction, making out various figures as her head ached. She coughed, her throat raspy and dry. This made her wonder how long she spent in bed or unconscious. She opened her eyes wider, the light stinging her vision as she groaned. 

"Oh good, she's awake," Babette leaned closer, "Can you tell me your name?"

"Oh, ha-ha," Carciniea tried to sit up, realizing just about everyone except the strange, new Cicero was there. "What happened?"

"You went berserk from nowhere," Veezara sat next to her, which provided some comfort to her, "Then you sort of, well... Passed out. A strange, semi-amusing sight to see."

She rolled her eyes, chuckling to herself. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed, though. She didn't meet Astrid's intense gaze, feeling too nervous just being in the same room.

"At least you're feeling better, dear," said the older wizard, "If you're feeling ill, just come to Babette or Uncle Festus. We'll fix you right up." 

A few started began to dissipate from the large, thick circle. Nazir came by, smirking, "At least you made it back alive. I believe I owe you an apology, don't I?"

She simply shook her head, "I finished my contracts." 

"And so you have. Stop by later, remind me to give you your cut. I think right now your only job is to rest," he patted her shoulder, turning to leave, "Good job, kid."

Now all there remained were Astrid and Veezara. She finally brought herself to nervously smile, though it seemed Astrid wasn't only there to check on her.

"Good, you're awake," she sighed, "Good thing you pulled that stunt when you did, too. I wasn't very interested in talking to that fool, anyhow. But, that's not the point. I got some work for you."

"Are you sure, Astrid?" Veezara spoke up, "The poor girl already exhausted herself from the contracts she already received. Don't you think this should wait until she's better?"

"I'm telling her now since she's awake. She doesn't have to jump when I say jump. If she wants a reminder, she can ask for one," she shot him a glare, Veezara sitting back with his arms folded.

Carciniea tried to clear her aching throat, stuttering out, "Y-You have a contract for me?"

Admittedly, she felt nice having a small break and was grateful to have her little Argonian friend stand up for her. It was like hanging around Ocheeva's or Teinaava's child, which had her feel even more relaxed. She wondered if he was a Shadowscale just like her old best friends. 

Astrid nodded. "You must go to Markarth. There's a girl there running her mouth, wanting an ex-lover killed. Her name's Muiri. Set up the contract, get it done, then come back home."

"Anything else?"

"Just get it done. Be respectful, represent us, and be professional. I'll be nice this time and let you keep whatever Muiri pays you. They always pay good."

Astrid left without another word, leaving her to her Argonian friend.

"So," Carciniea turned to Veezara, who still held a stoney gaze as Astrid left, "What did I miss?"

"We have another new member, this time he's from Cyrodiil. Not entirely sure what to make of it, really. It's not that I don't respect Sithis and all, but I kill because that's what I was trained to do. As long as Astrid is happy, I'm happy."

"You sure didn't seem happy just a moment ago," Carciniea nodded her head in the direction Astrid had left. Veezara only shook his head, rising from his seat. "Rest," he said, "We wouldn't want you to have another episode."

Despite knowing Lucien would probably want her up and ready to set out for Markarth, she thought she earned herself some rest. She recalled him mentioning she should get more acquainted with the other members, and that was exactly what she planned on doing. 

 

~*~ 

She spent the next few days mostly in bed, though she did leave on occasion. She sat around with what she thought were the more friendlier members, listening to Festus' old stories, learning of Babette's vampirism while trying her best not to think Vincente, and attempted to tell apart Gabriella's sarcasm.

On a not so light note, while she was learning alchemy from Babette, Carciniea realized a fear in herself she had not known before: Frostbite Spiders. She was sure to mark the alchemy table off her list of places to go to pass the time.

After a week, she hated to admit she was finally rejuvenated and well rested. She looked back into the contract Astrid had discussed with her, packing up her things before setting out to Markarth. She released a mental groan as she realized she'd be getting a mouthful from Lucien for not resting up sooner.

She dragged herself through the wide, underground room; her eyes glanced to large crate every so often as she resisted the immense urge to tear down those boards and take the Night Mother's rotting head. 

"Wait, OH WAIT! I know you!" Called a high pitched, deranged voice as the little red man danced around her, "From the road! Cicero never forgets a face!"

"I..." She stared at him, her nerves immediately vanishing, "I- You must have the wrong bloke, squire."

She broke into a nervous sprint, hearing him sing, "Stay safe!"

She slammed the Black Door shut, staring into the bleak, rainy night. It had been so long since she had seen sunlight she wasn't too aware of time. 

"Feeling better, Listener?" She heard Lucien.

"Cut the shit, Lucy," she used the old, private nickname she would use when discussing about him with friends, glaring at him, "I really appreciate that warning you never gave me about a freaking jester transporting the Night Mother!"

"They told you she would be arriving shortly," he simply shrugged, though that mocking grin ate at her.

She stepped out into the cold rain, her boot being covered with mud. "Oh, come on!" She exclaimed. She kicked the mud, spraying even more on her armor and on the wet ground. "Stupid rain, stupid weather," she grumbled, "Stupid Night Mother..."

The two headed west, into the rockier parts of Skyrim. Carciniea wasn't exactly sure how close they were to the city, but with every mountain they managed to climb or go around, she felt that much closer to civilization.

Carciniea looked up to the lit sky, golden rays streaking across the dark river if stars. She couldn't help but wonder if this was a normal sight for Skyrim, or did it just happen over time? Was it the same way in Cyrodiil and she never noticed? She felt a jab of guilt hit her chest for not taking the time out to appreciate the amazing world around her.

They ran into another steep mountain, but Carciniea had no current interest in climbing it. Instead, she slid down to the ground, thankful the raining had stopped around noon. "Y'know," she breathed, her chest heaving with every deep sigh, "Babette said I shouldn't push myself so hard."

She received no sassy comeback or demand to keep going, taking the silence as a surrender and complied well. She hid a victorious smile, noticing a rustling in the distance. A few figures emerged, slowly approaching them.

"Lucien, look," she pointed to them, a glimmer of hope shone in her eyes, "Fellow travelers! Perhaps they have a map to spare? Let me talk to them-"

"Listener..." 

"I stand corrected, fellow travelers with strange fashion sense. Not that I'm complaining," she eyed the more masculine figures as three slowly increased to six. She glanced at Lucien, noticing the judgmental look she was receiving. "Okay, after all the times I have blatantly hit on you, I really don't want to see that look."

"You realize they plan to kill you, correct?"

"What?!" She looked to the group that slowly inched towards her, "They don't even know me! I don't know them! Oh, that's just plain stupid." 

One of them charged at her, Carciniea leaping over his head and landing on top of another looter. The choking, gargling sounds that protruded of them as she dug her ebony dagger in their windpipe was like music to her ears. 

"The Forsworn will take back what is their's!" One called out. 

She turned to face them, eyes widening as one was already directly behind her. She reflexively held up an arm over her face, but the makeshift axe never landed on her. She looked back at the Forsworn, who laid limply on the ground.

"It has been too long since I have last killed." Lucien laughed.

"Two down, four to go," Carciniea noted, dodging another blow by bending far back. She brought her legs up, striking a female Forsworn in the jaw. "Make that three," she laughed.

Lucien took out two more, while Carciniea simply walked to a lone one who was attempting to hide. She snuck up from behind, twisting his neck until she heard a distinct popping sound. The man slumped against the rock he hid behind, Carciniea wiping her hands in satisfaction.

Lucien caught up to her, a satisfied smile stretching his lips. 

"I thought they couldn't see you or anything?" She asked, realizing what had transpired.

"Only if I wish, of course."

She opened her mouth to make some kind of comeback or simply nag at him for not having her more aware of this, but she digressed on the subject. She had a feeling Lucien longed to be in her place, to return to the world of the living and take lives like it was nothing. How he longed to not remain as some specter. 

She pulled out a folded up piece of parchment, holding inside a whole map of the province. This much raised her spirits further. "Lucien, look!" She laughed, striking a victorious fist in the air.

He smirked, slowly shaking his head. He placed a hand on her shoulder, "We'll continue tomorrow. You do need rest."

Moments like this reminded her of why she became so infatuated by him. She didn't mind sleeping on the hard ground - She was more than use to it, but feeling Lucien right next to her brought some peace.

"It's funny," Lucien chuckled, she could hear a melancholic undertone in his words and see it in his gaze, "I look back sometimes and it feels like only a short while ago you were just a protégé. You had barely held a knife before, but you were eager to prove yourself. Ah, always so eager..."

"Do I..." She gulped, "Do I make you proud? As a teacher?"

"You make me proud everyday, Listener."

The ends of her lips tugged and curled into a small smile. "You don't have to call me Listener, you know. We're friends, right? Just call me by my name."

"I am still trying to get out of the habit of calling you Silencer, actually."

She closed her eyes, softly laughing to herself. She felt one of his hands stroke her hair, following the trail of braids down to the ponytail. It was quite romantic, at least in her mind. She had always wanted an intimate moment such as this, so she took a gamble and tried to push it to the next level.

"I love you, Lucien," she said boldly in a more nonchalant tone.

She didn't get a response back, only feeling his hand pause and retract back to his side instead of her hair. Disappointment was an understatement on how she felt, but she pretended to brush it off as she finally managed to find sleep.

 

~*~ 

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"What about now?"

"No, Listener."

"NOW?!"

"Once again, no." 

Carciniea let out a groan, shortly following after Lucien who had the map with him. She continued in the making of over-dramatic sighs, mostly to see how far his patience could go before snapping. He lead them back onto a stone path, passing a shrine to Dibella, Carciniea making a face as they passed.

"Are we there yet?" She asked once more, poking him in the side.

"Actually," he shot her a side glance, "We are almost there."

"Oh," this had caught her off guard, nonetheless happy.

They crossed a few more bridges, large farms coming into sight. They drew closer, a horse stable right by Dwemer looking gates. There was a faint fog around, but nothing that truly hindered their sight.

"So, Skyrim has Dwemer ruins while Cyrodiil has Ayleid? Huh, some things never change," she chuckled to herself as they entered.

"Just remember to lay low," Lucien warned, "They can't see me, so try to stay out of trouble."

She nodded. She looked around skeptically, accidentally bumping into a blonde Nord woman.

"I'm sorry," the woman said, taking close notice of Carciniea, "Need help? You look lost."

"N- Actually yes, I need to find this girl named Muiri. You know where I can find her?"

She pointed south, "Muiri? I think you can find her in The Hag's Cure, just right down th-"

She fell to the ground, a few screams let out around her. Carciniea's eyes widened, seeing guards rushing to her. She slowly held her arms up, "I-I didn't do this time-"

Instead of attacking her, they went after another man. She sprinted in the direction the blonde woman pointed, wanting to cry out of the sudden immense fear.

She found the alchemy shop in no time, thankful the woman had managed to somewhat assist her before being slain. She must remember to send her family a thank you card. 

She entered The Hag's Cure, somewhat weary what gave the shop owner inspiration to name it that. She saw a small fellow Breton girl sweeping up what looked like spilt bone meal.

She assumed this was Muiri, or else Astrid or Lucien would have her head. "The Dark Brotherhood has heard your plea, Muiri."

"The Dar... Oh! The Black Sacrament did work, I-"

"Obviously. Now what do you need?"

"I need Alain Dufont dead! I want him hunted down and murdered like the dog he is!"

Carciniea stayed silent, not at all impressed and could already guess the reason behind it.

"I-I didn't know, but... He's the chief of a band of cutthroats. He's got a hold somewhere in Raldbthar and I need him dead. It should be around Windhelm. I don't care what you do with his friends, as long as Alain is dead!"

"Then I suppose it will be done."

"Good, good. I've saved up quite a bit for this, I'll make sure you get your coin. You'll get extra if... If you can handle one more thing."

"I'm listening." 

"I want you to kill another, as well. It wasn't part of the initial agreement, but... If you can, that's more pay in it for you. I need Nilsine Shatter-Shield dead as well. She lives in Windhelm as well, if it isn't too much trouble."

"Anything else?" 

"I... I was going to kill them myself, but I lost my nerve. Had a special poison brewed and everything. It's called Lotus Extract. Maybe you could use it?"

Muiri shakily handed her two small vials, a dirty brownish-orangey color to it. Carciniea took it, eyes locked on Muiri, before carefully inspecting the vials. She stuffed them in a pouch tied around her thigh, nodding. "Consider them dead and forgotten."

She began to leave, halting in front of the exit. "Oh, Muiri..."

She turned to see the young girl looking back to her, her expression looked almost terrified.

"Just a reminder, mourning never comes to those who send messengers of death."

She let out a maniacal laugh, leaving Muiri to ponder on her words. She left the ancient city to head east into Eastmarch, quietly preparing herself for the terrible cold to come.


	5. To Listen to Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After completing a rather quick contract, Carciniea is commanded to eavesdrop on a certain jester. She learns of her true purpose, though she can't really say she's as shocked and ecstatic as some.

Carciniea decided Raldbthar would be her first destination, getting the harder part finished first so she wouldn't have to worry about much later on. From a distance and even while climbing the snowy steps it looked like the old ruins were deserted, until an older looking Orc came charging towards her while bearing a silver warhammer.

It had caught her off guard, but the sight of seeing him slip and break his neck was actually pretty hilarious to her. She knew she shouldn't laugh and be quite serious while on the job, but the whole thing was admittedly amusing. She felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, her mouth launching a string of curses as she pulled out an iron arrow.

She looked to see a Bosmer archer, aiming yet another at her. She quickly dodged it, a close call indeed.

"I really hate archery," she grunted, sprinting towards the Bosmer whom was reaching for their dagger. Carciniea leapt, her arms fighting the bandit's own strength. She pressed the dagger down, the small metal wavering back and forth as the two fought with pure strength. She managed to lodge it down into their throat, leaving them to choke and suffocate. "Especially people who have talent in it," she finally finished, peering down at the gasping elf. She brushed some dirt off, turning to enter the Dwarven ruin.

She crouched down in the cold ruins, delicately observing any signs of life. She ventured further, attempting to get pass the blazing fire that shot out across the next archway. Despite Lucien's persistence saying there was another way around, she still decided to silently roll with only being slightly singed.

She snuck up to the locked gate, getting a glimpse of about three bandits. She managed to pick the lock to the gate, slowly pushing it open. The door let out a terrible moan. She began to wonder and doubt if they were even alive if they didn't notice or react to that.

"Either these guys are dumb and deaf," she turned to Lucien, her back to them, "Or they're dumb and dead."

She snickered, already almost forgetting all about them until a steel battle axe landed right beside her. She instinctively grasped it with one hand, shooting one foot up to kick the plunderer away. She dug the axe out, swinging it around and swiping the head clean off of another highwaymen.

"You must have those annoying gods on your side if you made this far. I have to admit, though, I'm rather impressed."

She guessed this must be Alain Dufont.

"Let me tell you something about the gods," she professed, elbowing the last of Dufont's men and having him double over, "They are so... It's annoying, yes. You're not the one that had to be brought back because you don't get along with one stupid person!"

He gave her a quizzical look, trying to process what she had shortly ranted about. This didn't completely bother her, she had planned to kill him anyway.

"You have no idea how long I wanted to say that," she chuckled, "Heh, good thing you're dying, right?"

"I wouldn't be so sure..." He pulled out a unique looking warhammer, beginning to charge at her.

Within only a few steps, he caught aflame and soon collapsed onto the ground. Carciniea waited until the lit fuel died down, suppressing a snickers at the ironic death. She walked over and nudged his badly burnt face with her foot. "You really weren't as tough as you thought, were you?" She laughed.

"I think you have me to thank," Lucien stood in the doorway. He beckoned her to follow and leave to their next target.

She followed his actions. "Really?" She asked in a manner of disbelief, "You never striked me as the type to use magic."

"My dear Listener, it is not that I did it on a whim, but more so that I noticed the flammable fuel. Someone had to make use of it."

She rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "Show off."

 

~*~

She entered Windhelm, wondering if the Aretino was still around. She'd have to check on him after her business with Nilsine Shatter-Shield was said and done. She even thought about giving him some septims to buy himself food.

Her first desire in the city wasn't to simply kill her mark and leave, she wanted to spend some time in the terribly cold city. No, she had heard of a few strange, yet intriguing shops that caught her eyes. The first place on her list was a quaint little museum called Calixto's House of Curiosities.

The old man, Calixto, sat in an old wooden chair. The shop itself was quaint, nothing too glamorous or flashy. He offered a small tour for only a couple gold coins, which made her even more happy at the cheap price.

The collection itself was amazing for someone who was incredibly bored, though one item did strike her interest.

"And here we have the Book of Fate, discovered in a secret room in the Arcane University. The writing in the book describes the destiny of its reader, so the words change for the person reading," the tourist began, "Some only see blank pages, though not many are sure what that means..."

She waited for the man to turn his back, picking the book up and flipping through the pages. She half-expected blank pages, her way of guessing it was just an ordinary book. On the center page, instead of blank parchment or writing, laid a familiar marking. The imprint of a scarlet hand laid there, staring up at her.

She heard Lucien's familiar cocky laugh, she rested the book back on the shelf as she growled under her breath to him, "Shut it, you."

"You say something, my dear?" Calixto turned back to her.

"N-No, sir," she quaked, bowing respectively, "I just wanted to take a peek at the book, is all."

Calixto seemed slightly pestered at the minor disruption, giving Carciniea that much more reason to rush out of his shop once the tour had ended.

"Are you done playing?" Lucien miffed, though this barely surprised her.

"Aw, come on! This is the closest to a date as we're getting!" She laughed, wandering off.

Lucien reluctantly followed behind, "Children never seem to learn..."

 

~*~

Nilsine Shatter-Shield had been living in fear ever since the death of her sister. She was out much later than she was comfortable with, slowly hurrying home with her basket half filled with colorful flowers.

Her paranoia began to get the better of the her, though knowing her house was just around the corner brought some form of comfort. The loud cracking of a twig snapping echoed through the pathways, Nilsine jumping from the unexpected sound. She turned her to find the source of the sound, relieved that she was alone. She turned back, a new figure appearing from the dark, chilling night.

The figure emerged, slowly, but the two never broke the contact.

"Muiri is very unhappy..." The figure spoke, a light feminine voice.

Nilsine had lost her nerve; she threw her basket at the mysterious stranger, turning around to be met with a knife in her gullet. She collapsed, her eyes rolling into her skull.

Carciniea emerged from the shadows, scratching the back of her head as she stared down at the newly dead Shatter-Shield.

"Well, um..." She coughed, looking at the other figure, "I guess that solves my problem?" A flickering light emerged from another intersecting pathway, Carciniea and the other killer shot each other a look. "I won't tell if you don't tell!" She called, leaping and climbing onto the house belonging to the Shatter-Shield family.

She could hear people screaming, a guard howling in anguish, "The Butcher strikes again!"

She leapt to a stone wall, the words echoing in her head. "I wish I had a cool nick name..." She huffed, seeing Lucien form before her eyes.

"This is not a time to get distracted!" He thundered, his roaring voice had Carciniea slip and almost fall, "You're almost out of here, you can take a carriage back to the Reach so you can rest."

She nodded, lifting and pushing her legs over her head, making a small whining sound. "Really wish whoever this was, was just a teeny bit more flexible," she rubbed her lower back, hands running down to her thighs.

She gained balance, sprinting across the wall as the wide, grand doors came into view. She leapt off the edge, falling and rolling towards the door. She made a grunt, ignoring any of her injuries. As much as she wanted to drop and start to cry, she preferred not listening to Lucien's annoyed babbling.

She ran across the bridge, launching herself on top of the carriage. She threw a handful shiny gold coins at him, yelling, "TAKE MY MONEY AND GET ME TO THE REACH!" The rider was stumped on what to say, sputtering out random nonsense as he immediately drove off.

Lucien materialized beside her, looking over his shoulder to snowy forest passing behind them. "One step closer..." He murmured, probably thinking to himself.

She relaxed in her seat, the cold, crispy air stung her lungs with each deep breath she took. "I don't want to go back," she complained, "Not with that little jester and the Night mother... There's something strange about them, something not so good... For us, I mean."

Lucien stayed silent, pulling his own hood off.

"Why don't you come with me into the sanctuary?" She suggested, instantly perking up at the thought. "It'd be nice to have someone to talk to, y'know. Besides Veezara, Festus, and Babette of course." She grabbed his hand, "C'mon, it'll be fun."

"We shall see." His voice was low and grave, an odd shiver shot up her spine.

She laid down, laying her head on what was suppose to be his lap. He disappeared once more before she made contact, leaving her to wonder why he bothered showing up at all. Sleep crept up on her, despite her struggling to stay awake, doomed to listen to the incessant laughing that relentlessly echoes through her mind.

~*~

Carciniea stepped back into the sanctuary, this time along with Lucien just as she hoped. She clutched in her hand a ring Muiri gave her as her way of giving extra payment. Carciniea didn't exactly want to sell it off, but it wasn't like she had much use for it. Maybe she could give it to Babette with alchemic training in return.

"What this sanctuary needs," Lucien began to babble, catching her eye, "Is a good purification..."

"Not funny," she began to fume, though she couldn't quite shake the words out of her head...

"Ah, you're back," she heard Astrid speak up, silently praying she hadn't heard Carciniea talk to herself, "How was your first actual contract? Better than what Nazir's been giving you, I bet."

She simply nodded, smiling to her as she slightly bowed, "It went just fine. Just, fine..."

"That's good," she stood straight up, no longer hunched over a wide map of Skyrim, "Now I need your help on a more... Personal note."

"Everything okay."

Astrid walked around, lowering her voice as she approached her, "It's Cicero. Since he's arrived, he's been quite erratic... Well, a bit more than just that. A few of us believe he's mad."

Carciniea hesitantly nodded, allowing her to continue.

"But it's worse than that, he's been locking himself with the Night Mother in a locked little room. He's speaking to someone, and I must find out."

"Don't you think that's a little..." She bit her lip, trying to carefully plan out her words, "Well, what if he's talking to himself? Some people do that out of habit."

"I doubt it. I know I seem paranoid, but I still need to know what that demented little fool is up to. I don't like secrets, dear."

She let out a sigh, "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to eavesdrop, that's what. There's nowhere in the room for you to hide, so you'll have to, oh I don't know..." Astrid arched a brow, "Hide inside the Night Mother's coffin?"

Carciniea sat there for a moment, pondering. She always imagined burning the hag alive with a smile on her face, but that's on her own whim. But... Astrid, the leader? The Black Hand would have had her mutilated for the thought. She had to remember what Lucien said: She was in a different place, at a different time. Things will be much different. This must be no exception.

"Yes... Yes, the coffin," Carciniea faked a smile, this was definitely something she had to consult Lucien about. "It's perfect."

"Knew I could count on you," Astrid patted her back, "Now go. Before Cicero goes to meet up with this traitor."

She gave Carciniea a slight push into the deeper recesses of the sanctuary. Carciniea checked over her shoulder to see if Lucien was still accompanying her, to see herself on her own. "Coward," she said with distaste.

She gave Veezara a shy wave, wishing she had a moment to talk to him or just hang out with him. She had to make sure to check up on him after the whole Cicero affair was over.

She pried the coffin open, gagging at the intense smell of death and decay.

"Okay, you old bitch," Carciniea took one last gulp of air, "Make room for me."

She nudged the corpse over to the side, sealing the doors shut as she sat in silence, waiting...

It took longer than she expected, a small piece of her swearing for not stopping and talking to her Argonian friend for a moment. She heard the squeaking and moaning of the old iron doors, a familiar voice rising out of the darkness.

"Ah, alone at last," she quietly gasped at the sound of Cicero's voice, "Oh sweet, sweet solitude. Nobody will disturb us now." He sang, quckly followed by an abrupt gasp, "The others... I've spoken to them, they're coming around! I can almost taste it! The wizard, the Argonian, even the un-child... What about you? Have you spoken to anyone? No... No, how silly of Cicero... Always Cicero, doing the laughing, the stalking, the talking, and the dancing!"

She felt a large, vast pit in her stomach. The rising intensity in his voice made her chest begin to hurt, tears forming in her eyes out of fear.

"And what do you do? Hmm? Nothing! No, not a damned thing at all!... Not that I'm angry, or anything. No, poor Cicero understands. He'll always understand. Understand and obey!"

"You'll talk when you're ready, won't you?" She heard his voice begin to crack, a terrible, pitiful sound in his usual eccentric tone. "Won't you?... My sweet Night Mother."

"Wh-" She began to talk, her hand acting on its own as she covered her mouth. She felt her newly fear-ridden tears drop as she realized what was actually happening. She let out a wheeze, swearing up and down at herself for being stupid.

_Poor Cicero... Dear Cicero... Such a loyal servant, pity he cannot hear my voice. No, for he is not the Listener_

"How can I keep you safe? How can I do as you bid if you will not talk! To anyone!" Cicero cried.

_Oh, but I will speak my Cicero. Yes, you are but my only option. Soon, my Listener..._

She heard cackling in her head, much different from the laughing plaguing her dreams. If she had the space to, Carciniea would more than happily set this entire coffin aflame. She mentally swore to the Night Mother, to the Dread Father, but most of all Lucien for not giving clearer warnings. She was more than ready to scream from rage.

_Yes, you. My rebellious child, one who never fulfilled their task. I give you this one task - travel to Volruund. Speak with a man by the name of Amaund Motierre. Do not fail me, child. Mother will not give you a third chance._

Despite the sudden burst of newly born anger that ran in her blood, she heard a desperate and pitiful voice once more:

"How did Cicero fail you? Cicero didn't mean to, Mother. Cicero is so very sorry... He's tried everything, but he can't find the Listener..."

She let out a sigh, her heart tugging toward her more compassionate side. "Oh, Cicero..." She whispered.

_Tell Cicero the time has come. Tell him the very words he has longed to hear for so many years: Darkness rises when Silence dies._

The doors to coffin opened, Carciniea falling onto the floor. She felt hands wrap around her throat, squeezing it little by little. She began to cough and choke, looking around for help. Her arms tried to push the crazy jester off of her, but to no avail.

"SPEAK, WORM! EXPLAIN YOURSELF!"

Her eyes began to roll into her head, coughing out fragments of a sentence. "The... One... Night Mother... Spoke..."

His grasp immediately fled, Carciniea quietly hoped he left no marks on her throat. It would be a strange explanation, indeed.

"She... Spoke to you? The Night Mother herself?" Cicero's eyes lit up with joy, only narrowing with suspicion. He pulled out a dagger not too different from her own, holding it to her throat, "You really think the Mother would speak to you? TO YOU?"

Her eyes were glued to the sharp end of the dagger, gulping slowly.

He slammed her against the floor, a glimmer of bloodlust in his eyes, "MORE TREACHERY! The Night Mother wouldn't speak to you, you... You... Agh! She only speaks to the Listener and- and..."

He picked her up and slammed her back down with every screamed syllable, " _THERE. IS. NO. LISTENER_!"

"Sh-She told me, yes she told me," she tried to catch her breath, "Darkness rises when- when silence dies."

"She... She said that to you?" He dropped her once more, his hands fell down to her shoulders in a softer grip, "Those are the Binding Words! Written in the Keeper's Tomes, Cicero would know! Oh, Mother's only way of talking to poor Cicero..."

"Then... She's back! Our Lady is back! Oh, happy, happy days!" He sprung to his feet, dancing around merrily, "We have a Listener again!" We-"

"Hold it!" Astrid's voice came out, the tall Nord began sprinting out of the opposite door, "By Sithis, this ends now! Whatever you're planning, fool, is over!"

"Astr-" Carciniea began, trying to pick herself back only to fall once more. Cicero was a small man, even smaller than her, but he packed a punch. Astrid hurried to her side, helping her onto her feet, "Are you alright? I heard the commotion and-"

Carciniea waving a hand, "Calm, Astrid, calm."

"Who was Cicero talking to?" She stated defensively, "What's he planning? Where's his accomplice? I need answers, traitor!"

Cicero laughed at this, falling back onto the floor and even began rolling to and fro. "Traitor? Me? I spoke only to the Night Mother, though she refuses to speak to me! Oh no, she spoke to her! To our new Listener!"

"What is this lunacy?" Astrid spat, picking him up by the collar of his outfit. "It's true, so very true!" Cicero laughed, "The silence has been broken! The Listener has returned!"

She threw him back onto the ground, returning to the injured Carciniea's aid, "I figured you were caught when I heard Cicero screaming. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just doing what I can to break my back," she grunted. She could feel warm liquid run down across her eye, guessing it had been blood.

"Cicero said something about speaking to the Night Mother, but she spoke to you?"

"Yeah..." Carciniea let out a deep sigh, reluctantly answering, "The Night Mother spoke to me and stuff, saying I was 'the one'."

"Let me get this straight," Astrid rubbed her temple in an annoyed sense, "Cicero was talking to the Night Mother, who, for all we know, talks to only person. And she talked, right now, to you?"

"Yes, yes, yes. For the millionth time, yes! It's not that hard to figure out."

"So?" Astrid motioned her to continue.

"What?"

"What did she say?"

"Something about going to Volruund and talking to this guy named Amaund Motierre."

She slowly scratched her cheek, deep in thought. "Amaund Motierre... Don't think I've ever heard of him. But that old ruin, Volruund, I know where it is."

"Good, then you won't mind talking to him for me," she picked up her things, turning to leave.

"Nobody is talking to this Motierre guy," she demanded, stomping her foot once on the ground, "You take orders from me, are we clear? Until we get these things cleared, nobody is going to Volruund."

Astrid's eye narrowed, battling against Carciniea's own gaze. The two glared at one another, before Carciniea finally decided to finally leave her presence. She heard her call to her something about talking to Nazir, also how she needs time to think.

She was ready to look for Babette when two arms wrapped around her waist, swinging her wildly to and fro.

"THE LISTENER IS BACK!" She heard Cicero sing, doing a full spin before sitting her back down, "Are you excited? Hmm? I am! Things are finally looking up, now that we have our Listener!"

"Cicero..." She began, trying to reclaim her balance. She laid her hands on his shoulder in an attempt to steady herself. When she finally felt like she recollected herself, she looked to him, "Cicero, did you want to be Listener?"

She prayed he would give her the right answer as an excuse to give her duties up once more.

"Well..." He looked down, his mad smile began to tremble, "I did... I did my best, I tried to listen. But she never spoke! No matter how hard Cicero tried! The silence was almost... Maddening..." His eyes instantly flickered up to her, smiling brighter than ever, "But that was then, this is now! Cicero will stay a happy Keeper as long as, as um..."

"Call me Carcy," she couldn't help but smile.

"As long as Carcy remains a happy Listener!" He danced, laughing and singing around her. Something was oddly familiar about his laugh, something in it seemed so... So sad. Her face slowly dropped as it dawned upon her where she heard it before. "You're the laughter," her eyes narrowed with suspicion, "You're the laughter I hear in my dreams."

Cicero didn't say anything, probably didn't even hear what she said. She only left, leaving him to mutter and babble to himself.

She found Babette in her usual corner of the sanctuary, looking over the spiders and feeding them. Carciniea took a seat opposite of the child, smiling weakly.

"You look like death," Babette immediately commented without so much a glance at her.

"I feel like it," she chuckled, "Wanna do a small trade?"

Babette smirked at this, giving her a sideways glance. "Anything in particular?"

Carciniea dug into her pocket, setting Muiri's ring on the table. "You can have that if you just bandage me up," she rested her eyes for a second, letting the small girl inspect it, "If you don't like it, you can sell it off. I don't really care as long as I get some help."

Babette snuck into her pocket, getting up to grab some linen wrap. "It's not much, but I'll see what I can do," she explained, "What happened, anyway?"

She allowed the child to wrap up her bad arm, taking a deep breath. "Well," she cleared her throat, "Astrid asked me to go eavesdrop on that Cicero fellow since she's been hearing strange whispers in the dark, and at first I had that 'why me' impression and all. It's like she acts as if I'm the only one competent in doing something simple, or as if the sanctuary wasn't filled with a dozen others."

She let out a sharp whining sound as her small supernatural friend had accidentally moved her arm in a bad position. "Go on," she insisted, not a drop of sympathy in her voice.

"And well... That damned Night Mother choice me to be Listener, then soon after-"

"Wait," Gabriella chimed in, overhearing their conversation, "You? Listener? That can't be right."

"Trust me," Carciniea rolled her eyes, "I thought I was going crazy, too. I don't want to be the Listener!" She winced as Babette began stitching up the cut around her brow, her eyes closed shut.

"And then what?" The two girls asked.

"Cicero caught me and did this," she said flatly, "Then he found out I was the Listener. The little man packs a punch, I swear."

She opened one of her eyes by a few fractions, seeing both Gabriella and Babette gawk at her. "Yeah, I know right," she shuddered at the memory.

"Done," Babette announced, her eyes still wide with shock.

Carciniea awkwardly nodded, using her only hand available to scratch her shoulder. She got up, looking to the two once more, "You two wouldn't happen to know where Nazir is, would you?"

Gabriella struck a thumb over her shoulder, pointing down another small corridor. "He's eating," she simply said, slowly recovering from the confusion and going back to the book she was reading.

She climbed down the steps, taking a seat next to him. If it wasn't for the Listener bit, she would happily say things were beginning to go smoothly.

"Sister," Nazir addressed, not even affected by Carciniea's new, bandaged look.

She gave a simple nod. "Astrid said you may have extra work for me?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," he dug into one of his pockets, pulling out some parchment, "One should be rather easy, but the second will prove some challenge."

She took the parchment, skimming the details of the bard, Lurbuk, and the vampire, Hern. She slumped her shoulders with distaste, "Can I retire now?"

Nazir's only response was a hardy laugh and chiming, "Happy hunting."

She took this as a no, crawling to her feet as she figured her version of a vacation was getting out of that sanctuary. She mumbled to herself as she left the Redguard's presence, hissing.


	6. Suspicions Afloat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carciniea journeys to Volruund, where there lays the contact Amaund Motierre.

Carciniea sat on the freshly dead vampire, just finished dragging his body behind the small shack right across the mill he owned. Nazir was nowhere near wrong when he mentioned the challenge she would face against him, feeling a strange tingling sensation in her arms. She threw the torn liniment on the ground, hoping to get to somewhere where she could cure herself of the highly possible disease soon.

"There is a road not too far from here."

She let out a small shriek, Lucien's sudden voice had caught her off guard. Her face grew pinkish due to his surprise entrance, slowly turning into a deep, dark shade of red at what had transpired while he had purposely hidden himself. He began to leave, heading to the nearby road, though Carciniea caught him in his tracks.

"You- You coward!" She yelled, throwing her dagger towards him, though it only went right through and stumbled on the ground.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he turned his head to catch her gaze from the corner of his own, "Don't tell me you are upset by the obvious-" 

"OBVIOUS?" She roared, "You could've told me! Not just playing meaningless guessing games, which includes avoiding my affection and leave me in the dark!" 

She swung a punch, sweeping through him like nothing.

His expression remained unimpressed, his lips at a disdainful frown, "Maybe I should leave you to figure these things out on your own, helpless and all alone? Or would you rather grow up and get to the road, like I said."

Carciniea sniveled, giving up the argument while it was still starting. She saw an empty carriage ride by, heading north. 

"Take it, it'll lead you to where you need to go," he whispered, dissolving back into nothing. 

She leapt onto the side of the cart, slowly and silently crawling until she was behind the driver. She hushed into his ear, the end of her blade slowly slicing his throat. She managed to kick him over, feeling his body squish and crack beneath the long wheels. She whistled merrily to herself, whipping the horses to go faster.

"TO MORTHAL!" She sang, whistling an old tune she remembered her mother would sing.

 

~*~

The capital city of Hjaalmarch was one drearier than Falkreath, with more problems as well. Along the way, the wagon managed to collapse under her, as well as one of the horses being slain. She still had one horse that could hopefully give her travel to the sanctuary when this was over. Despite these things, Carciniea was generally happy she could get some aid to her wounds in a little alchemic shop, no longer did the fear of vampirism plague her mind. 

The owner of the shop, Lami, was also kind enough to give her some directions around town. Though she kept this knowledge for future assistance, Carciniea already knew where she was headed.

She headed across the rocky path into Moorside Inn, staying close to the darkest corners of the inn as she watched the Orc finish his song. Not many people found his amusing, however, getting her to chuckle from the irony. 

Lurbuk, her target, didn't seem to notice the absence of attention he was receiving and thanked everyone for coming. She followed him into one of the rooms, the bard instantly noticing he was not alone.

"A fan, I dare say?" He laughed, "And to think I was starting to believe this wasn't quite cut out for me!"

She smirked, "A bard, eh? Why don't you sing me a song of a scared Orc and how he was murdered?"

"Phantoms leap and... And the spirits did sing, of a frightful-"

Carciniea raised a hand, commanding him to stop. "N- Sarcasm, you should've learned it when you had the chance." 

"Wh-" He began, before gasping as he felt cold metal forced into his belly. She held him by the waist, leaning her chin against his shoulder, mostly due to the vast height difference. "You were a terrible bard," she whispered, taking delight in his anguish, "Maybe you'll a thing or two in the Void."

She felt him begin to struggle, before falling limp against her. She used his clothing to wipe off her blade, sighing to herself, "Oh, Nazir, give me a challenge again. I'm growing... Bored."

She heard a soft creak behind her. Carciniea snapped her head back, eyes wide with fear as another resident of Morthal had made eye contact with her. She let out a loud shriek.

"Oh, screw you karma," she hissed to nothing, taking out a steel dagger Lurbuk hid in his pocket and threw it at the woman. She made haste toward the door, a trio of guards lying on the other side. 

"By the orders of the Jarl, stop right there!"

"I'd really love to trust me," she slid between them, nearly falling onto her face, "But I have a date with this girl named Destiny and she does not like waiting!"

She leapt and rode away on her half-dead horse, which she privately referred to as Mallamont, heading south until they were ambushed by a pack of wolves. The pack were easy to handle, though they did cause quite some physical damage on the stallion. Carciniea already knew she wouldn't be of much help, only stroking the poor mane on Mallamont's hair as it slowly died.

"Welp," she laid the horse's head back on the dirt path, climbing to her feet as Lucien began to form, "We can't be that far away, I mean it's no longer snowy so that has to mean something."

"Listener, you cannot rely on me so much." 

"Why not?" She sighed, slumping her shoulders, "Once this crap is said and done, I can go back to the Void right?" There was silence from Lucien. "Right?" She said once more.

"Come." He said at last, "The Pine Forest is ahead, and there will lay the door to the sanctuary."

She reluctantly followed behind him, wondering what would happen to her after the whole Night Mother deal was over. Was she to disappear back into the Void? She certainly hoped so. While there were nice people, there were also many people she would rather not be acquainted with.

Lucien had soon disappeared from her sight once more, whether he had returned back to Sithis' place or simply made it farther into the thicket. Night was beginning to fall once more, the sun dipping below the horizon and certainly out of sight within the trees. Carciniea began regretting her sloppiness in her last contract where she could be fully regenerated and fully awake. 

"Hey tidbit," she froze at the sound of Arnbjorn's voice.

She let out a small squeak, quickly compelling any courage she could find. She turned to him, "Yeah? And what're you doing out here?"

"You're lost, aren't you?"

"Silence, fool!" She jabbed a finger at the tip of his nose, "I need no map to show me the way of Sithis, for I am bonded with the Vo-"

"Yeah, yeah," he took her finger, twisting it back. He pointed a finger southwest, "It's that way, so you know."

He released her from his grasp, leaving Carciniea to herself. She rubbed her hand, grumbling to herself, "I'll remember that, mangy mutt..." She followed Arnbjorn's directions, grumbling in annoyance the whole way until she fell off a few rocks.

She made a loud groan, thankful that there was to no one to witness the small mishap. She entered once more, quietly tiptoeing pass the first room where Astrid usually hung around.

"You're back," she heard Astrid say, despite her back facing Carciniea. She put down the book she was reading turning to her, "We need to talk."

Carciniea said nothing, plastering a false smile as she nodded Astrid to go on. "Something's happening. I'm not sure what it is, but it needs to be figured out. If the Night Mother did talk to you about a contact, I- Go to Volruund, is what I'm saying. Talk to this Amaund Motierre, see what he wants, then we'll see where to go from there."

She turned back, leaving Carciniea to herself. "Of course," she finally spoke up, once Astrid was out of earshot, "I don't have other contracts to turn in or anything, you know. And yeah, I think I'm feeling well enough to almost die again."

She passed on into the earthy opening, immediately finding Veezara who had been dipping his feet into the cool pool of water.

She tapped on his shoulder, smiling, "Mind if I join?" 

Carciniea couldn't help but feel a sort of attachment to Veezara in the short time she had been in the Skyrim's Dark Brotherhood. Whether or not he realized it, he meant a lot to her. His presence alone brought her comfort. 

He nodded, scooting over to make her some room. She plopped down, taking off her shrouded boots before letting them soak in the refreshing water. 

"There's been a lot of talk," he pointed out, "People saying that the Night Mother talked to you."

She smirked at this, her mind tracing to Gabriella and Babette. "I'm not exactly proud of it, but it's not like I committed some sort of heinous crime. Yes, she spoke to me, at the most inconvenient time she could pick. Not when she first got here or anything, but right when she was literally right next to me."

She held her face in her hands, letting out a deep sigh, "Now I have to go to some stupid crypt in the north, even though I'm pretty sure Astrid is trying to kill me."

She heard Veezara chuckle, "What would make you say that? She seems to adore you."

"Yes, I feel the adoration through the constant awkward tension whenever we talk. I rarely every say anything back to what she says, mostly because I simply don't want to talk."

He patted her on the back, "Tough love, sister. You are good for giving people that, I can just tell." 

Veezara pulled his feet into the chilly air, turning to stand. "It is late and you must be tired," he gave her shoulder a squeeze, "Rest now, journey in the morning."

She felt a familiar sadness droop over her as she felt her friend beginning to leave, something telling her that he wasn't going to stick around in her life forever.

"Veezara," she called, turning her head to peek at him from the corner of her eye, "Things are changing, just as Astrid said. We can't live in this silence forever. The silence you were living in... It's gone, dead, broken. Watch yourself and everything around you, because I don't even know what's going to happen."

There was a long hesitance; it was another few minutes before she heard him continue his walk to bed. She looked back in front of her, wondering if Lucien could hear her voice in the dark depths of the Void. She decided to give it a shot, lowly whispering, "When this is all over, Luce, you owe me."

 

~*~

Instead of going with her original plan to go to Volruund the next morning, Carciniea took a few extra days off to get some extra rest and healing done. She was still sore by the end of the week, but Astrid's constant complaining to get to Volruund soon had hit the peak of Carciniea's patience. 

"Why is she suddenly so eager to get me there?" She asked Lucien, as the sanctuary's leader was the current topic of their conversation.

"Astrid is scared. She is not sure what will come of this, and so she is taking caution as to what will happen next."

"Hmph," she chortled, "At least you can prove some help."

Lucien ignored this, his eyes focusing past the snow-covered trees and the small flakes that fell and clumped to the ground. 

"I know that look," she commented on the intense gaze in his eyes, poking through him, "How close are we? Hm?"

Lucien remained quiet, blatantly ignoring her to focus. She shuffled through her pockets and pulled out the unevenly folded map. She tore one of the ends of it as she attempted to open it. "Astrid said she marked it for me," she tried to be of some assistance, scanning the map for any marks, "Though I don't see any..."

"No need, Listener. It is right up ahead."

She let out a squeal of excitement, peering over the map to find a small clearing with what looked to her like a large, man-made hole. They grew closer to it, the look of disappointment on Carciniea's face deepened. 

"I was something a little more..." She chewed her tongue, shaking her head to think, "A bit more... Grand. Big, large, that sort of thing." 

Lucien rolled his eyes at this, giving her a small push over the edge. She hit the floor hard, letting out a whine as rubbed her lower butt, "That kind of hurt..."

She struggled to stand back up, hesitating to open the entrance doors. "I have a weird feeling about this... Lucien?" She turned around to see she was by herself once more. "Asshat..."

She stepped over the spare bones from the last guests who entered the ruins, busy wondering what had happened to trip and fall over a battle axe belonging to the Ancient Nords. She rolled down the stairs, mumbling to herself as she finally came to a stop on the flat ground, "I am not a graceful flower..."

"Did you hear that?" She heard a faint whisper not too far from where she was. 

Carciniea sat up, hearing even more chatter coming just west of her. She scrambled to her feet, following the sound of the voices as she found a small pile of Draugr just outside a closed door.

She swiped away any lingering dirt on her outfit and hair, "Give it your best shot, Carce."

She opened the door, a tall man in uniform standing in the back as a fellow Breton looked pale and nervous.

"By the almighty Divines..." He let out a gasp, "You've actually come! That damned Sacrament... It actually worked!"

"The Night Mother heard your calling, Motierre. Now speak, what is it you want?"

"Ah, yes. I would like to make a contract- several in fact. To be frank, this may be the biggest operation your organization has dealt with in... Well, in centuries!"

She nodded.

"Er, yes. As I have said, there are many contracts I wish to construct with varied details. But, alas, these deaths only wave the way to biggest target: The Emperor."

It took her a moment to figure out what he meant, though she refused to show any emotion on her face when it finally dawned on her.

"You have to understand. So much planning, time, maneuvering went into this. Now, here you are, just as if the stars have finally aligned! But, I digress on the subject. Here, let me get you something to give to your- uh... To your superior," he clapped his hands, "Rexus! My things!"

The man finally moved, handing her a necklace and a letter. She looked at the beautiful jeweled amulet, secretly hoping there was some way she could keep it. She stuffed the letter into her pocket, nodding to leave.

~*~

"Got you a present, Astrid," Carciniea threw the amulet and letter on the nearby table, "Courtesy of Amaund Motierre."

"Did you find out what he wants?" She inquired, delicately picking up the amulet to inspect it.

"He, uh..." Carciniea scratched the back of her head, "Apparently wants us to kill the Emperor."

Astrid picked up the letter, reading it. 

"He said something about the necklace being for expenses and whatnot," the smaller of the two explained.

"This is... Big. Maybe too big for us. Nobody has assassinated an Emperorsince Uriel Septim! Do you know how long ago that was? Two hundred years ago!"

Carciniea had let out a terrible cough, her eyes burning as she choked on saliva. "Two hundred?!" 

"Yes," Astrid eyed her suspiciously, "You didn't know?"

"N-No, I did, I just forgot is all," she laughed, "Silly me, always forgetting things!"

"As I was saying," the Nord straightened her back, "I'm still not sure if you are, in fact, the Listener or if this is just some fluke- But this, this is something we can't afford to slip."

"So what? We're accepting his contract?"

"You're damn right! I wouldn't waste such a fruitful opportunity to lead my Family to glory. I- This is quite a lot to take in." Astrid held up the amulet, a smirk beginning to appear.

"What're you thinking about?" Carciniea was not liking the looks of this so far.

"Before we actually get anywhere, we should get this amulet appraised first. I know a guy in the Ratway, he's a fence and will take a look at it. His name's Delvin Mallory, tell him I sent you."

"Alright," she nodded, leaving to go look for her friends, "I have no idea where that could be, but alright."

She searched throughout the sanctuary looking for one of her friends, sighing as he was nowhere to be seen. She stood, leaving the comfort of her bedside, beginning to walk down the wooden steps before tripping and falling.

"You sure are a clumsy little Breton," she heard Nazir comment, witnessing this.

She scrambled to her feet, bowing in respect, "Nazir! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there! Have you seen Veezara?"

"Our little lizard? I believe he's busy on a contract, as you should be."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She began to bawl, collapsing into a seat near him, "I managed to slay them, though the last one kind of, heh-"

"Say no more, say no more," he handed her a larger than average bag of gold, "If it is done, it is done friend." 

She cooed over the sound of jangling gold, snapping out of her trance as she remembered her small problem, "Nazir, do you know where the Ratway is? I've never heard of it."

"A little tavern for drunken, lowlife thieves," he took a sip of mead, "Right under Riften. You've been there, haven't you?"

"Of course I have!" This was truth for once, remembering her killing of the headmistress from the terrible orphanage, "Ah, memories..."

"Then that's where you start," he patted her on the back.


	7. A Wedding Not to Forget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carciniea attends a wedding.

"Oh, ohh now where did you get this beauty? Special crafted for the Emperor's Elder Council. I'd ask where you got this, but from what you look like, I think I'd rather-"

"Will you buy it?"

"Buy it? Oh, yes indeed I will." Carciniea turned to leave, ready to get out of the underground slumhole.

"Wait," Delvin Mallory handed out a sealed letter, arm extended out to her, "Give this letter of credibility back to your lovely mistress. Should serve you all well, as it should considering out original agreement. Tell Astrid to come give us a visit."

She gingerly picked the letter from his hands, careful enough to stash it into her pocket. She exited the Ragged Flagon, navigating through the tunnels of the Ratway to the dank, murky waters below Riften. The foul odor from the water made her mind trace back to Bravil, only with more class. She climbed up the steps, a light fog had surrounded the city, clustering around the waterways below. She was in no hurry to travel back, but harmlessly travel through to kill time.

"You know," she finally spoke as she felt an additional presence near her, "It seems the more away from home I am, the more this becomes my home." She turned to back to face Lucien, a wry smile on her face, "Ironic, isn't it?"

She walked behind the temple of Mara, glowering as she stopped in front of a shrine of the hero-god, Talos.

"The Aedra..." She breathed, her face contorting to one of disgust, "How pathetic people are to idolize them. The Aedra are boring, the Daedra are self-absorbed douchebags, but Sithis- Sithis is a vengeful god, one I can relate to."

"Why the sudden bilious mood?" Lucien asked, a glimmer of concern in his eyes. "You usually seem more cheerful and radiant."

Carciniea stood there eerily silent, watching the torch bugs flicker in the dense air. She held a hand out for one, catching the smallest of the luminescent bugs in her hand.

"I'm not very sure," she murmured, watching the small bug flicker on and off in her hand, "I haven't been seeing very much of you lately, and we all know what happens to the loneliest of hearts... I just need answers, if you will."

"You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat."

"Maybe so, but does the cat not have eight extra lives to continue wondering?"

The little bug flew away, joining its little friends, "Just some peace of mind is all I ask."

"Oh, but my dear Carciniea. I happen to like you this way: Quiet, professional, low key. It brings a more mysterious air to you."

A ghost of a smile flickered across her face, "You called me by my name. That's not really something I hear from you much, is it?" She turned to him, "I'm not saying spoil everything for me-"

"Then let me not spoil it. I am not omnipotent, I cannot answer everything. You are here for a reason beyond my knowledge, and I am put to charge of guiding you and making sure you are safe."

"Then they should've put you here with me!" Carciniea began to fume, catching the eye of one of the Rift's guards. She caught herself, smiling as she waved a hand toward the guard, "Sorry, just talking to myself!" Her smile faded as the guard continues their rounds.

"You do not believe I miss being among the living?" Lucien hissed, "How I miss being in the field, being in your position? If I had a second chance to serve under the Mother, I would not waste a second-"

"Then try. Don't do it for me, but for you," she faced him once more, feeling her eyes begin to dampen, "We could finish contracts together, go on journeys and I wouldn't have to worry about you disappearing, and we could dance the night away."

He laid a hand on her cheek, one finger stroking and wiping away any tears. "I already know my answer. If it was my choice, it would have been like that from the start," he leaned in to lay a kiss on her cheek, despite not being able to feel it, "Good night, Carciniea."

She felt her legs begin to shake, her voice cracking as she let out a soft sob. "G-Good night," she said to the nothing before her. She rubbed her upper arms, the cool air finally getting the best of her. She cleared her voice, her eyes floating up to look at the twinkling stars blanketing the pitch black sky, "I love you, Mr. Lachance..."

~*~

"Is the amulet authentic?" Astrid asked upon hearing Carciniea climb down the stone steps.

"Yes, actually. He also mentioned it being specially made for members of the Elder Council," she handed over the letter of credit, leaning against a wall.

"What a naughty, naughty boy that Motierre is," she chuckled, taking the letter and sliding it inside her shirt, "Did Mallory say if we was willing to buy it?"

"Obviously," Carciniea scoffed. "Good. Now we're- Or should I say, _you_ are ready to begin. I hope you have something nice to wear because you're going to a wedding."

"I am so sick and tired of- Excuse me? A wedding?"

"Oh yes. Eat some cake, drink some wine, make a friend or two, kill the bride..." She cackled, "That's your target- The Emperor's cousin. Kill her while she's addressing guests, she'll be in Solitude near the Temple of Divines."

She took this information and left, not very interested in discussing with Astrid any further. She ventured further, slowly losing any interest in conversing with Veezara or Babette, only wanting to sleep her foul mood away.

"LISTENER!" Squeaked a high-pitched voice, knocking her onto the ground.

"Cicero," she groaned, trying to put her vision back into focus. There, sitting on top of her, was merry Cicero with a wide grin, "Oh, my Listener! Cicero's certainly missed his Listener, as it had been almost a fortnight since he last saw her."

He helped her up, Carciniea realizing she was shorter than another person yet again. His eyes glimmered with interest as he watched Carciniea with a sort of admiration. They battled with their eyes, she waited for him to try something or to knock her down. Still, he remained in front of her as loyal as a dog.

"You're not so bad, are you?" She tussled his hair, chuckling, "Once you get past the assault and everything, you're adorable."

"Whatever I can do to please the Listener," he chimed, his grin stretching from ear to ear. She observed his clothes, remembering what Astrid had said about fine clothing. "Maybe, maybe..." She thought aloud, shaking her head, "Nevermind, no, that can wait. Hard to think of what people may think about a jester... No, no, too obvious." She walked on, contemplating what sort of disguise should she don for the wedding.

~*~

"A wedding," Lucien spoke up, observing the festivities around them, "How... Dreadful. To be bound until death, to someone who is destined to rot in the dirt as everyone else."

Carciniea snickered at this, pulling up the sleeve of a large work shirt that was obviously much to big for her, "To think, how terrible it is to love something death can touch."

"Now you're thinking like a murderer," Lucien let out a laugh, "So, tell me, how did you plan on killing her?"

"Pretty simple, I was thinking of you a few nights ago, then a little idea popped into my head," she searched through the crowd to find the honored couple. She held up a green apple with light red blotches around it, "Poisoned apple. People never think of it anymore, so why not start a trend?"

She's finally caught eye of the couple, Vittoria Vici smiling happily as she watched the bards dance and sing in her honor.

"Observe," she winked at Lucien.

She addressed the happy couple, bowing in respect as she held out the single apple to the bride specifically. "Your mistress," she placed the apple in Vici's hand, "I am but a poor farm girl who idolized you as a child. I may be poor, but this freshly grown fruit she serve just as much as anything."

"How kind of you," Vittoria beamed up at her, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Please, make yourself comfortable and enjoy yourself. It's the least I could ask in return."

She nodded, turning to her back to the couple with a malicious look on her face. She traveled to the far back, watching Vittoria's every movement as she leaned against the cool, shady wall.

"Any second now," she breathed, excitement dripping from her tongue, "She'll be as alive as you are."

They watched the couple talk and laugh, enjoying their celebration. She watched as Vittoria laid the apple to the side, standing and beginning their short journey to the balcony.

"Why isn't she dead," Carciniea began to seeth, her hand bashing against the stone wall, "She's suppose to be on the floor, not smiling and walking."

"Perhaps you should catch her while she is addressing the crowd?" He suggested, taking too much pleasure out of this.

"N- Yes, yes..." She begin to smile again, crouching, "That will do just fine."

She followed shortly after them, meeting their backs on the balcony. She gripped her knife, slowly taking quiet steps toward Vici as her hand began to tremble from excitement. This was sure to get her in trouble with the Haafingar guards, but she didn't mind so much. She drove the blade through the bride's stomach, pushing her over the edge.

Carciniea reveled in the disbelieving gasps that filled the air, pushing Asgeir to the side as she jumped over the ledge and fell on Vittoria's body, taking back her dagger and the bridal wreath.

She stood up, staring back at all the horrified expressions. "Don't you just love a good wedding?" She laughed.

A few guards rushed in, the older guests as well teamed up to bring her down. It was about six against one, which hardly seemed fair. Not too long after she tried to fend herself, one of the guards had dropped from an unexpected guest.

"Veezara?" She couldn't help but feel ecstatic to see him, her dagger rushing past him and into the lower stomach of a guard, "Didn't expect to see you here. Never pegged you as the guy to like weddings."

He shrugged, but nevertheless delighted to see his friend, "Astrid sent me to keep an eye on you. Didn't mean to kill your buzz or anything, from the looks. You looked pretty happy." He chuckled before pointing with his sword, "I'll meet you at the sanctuary. I'll be fine. Go on!"

She reluctantly nodded, not entirely comfortable with the idea of leaving her friend behind. She found a more discreet exit out of the city, ditching her large clothes to reveal the shrouded armor she wore underneath. She didn't stop running until she crossed in Hjaalmarch.

~*~

"Stupid Astrid, who does she think she is?" Carciniea started up on her rant for the third time since they left Solitude, "Me? Assistance? I'm one of the damn finest assassins she's got! She just sits there, twiddling her thumbs that-"

"You looked like you needed help, so why make such a fuss?" Lucien groaned.

"Why? _WHY_? She acts like I never held a weapon before, that's why! You and me know that's as wrong as Nazir in a maiden's dress. And let me tell you, that is not a pretty image." She slumped her shoulders, grumbling to herself. She held up the floral crown, "At least I have a little trophy. Never been to a wedding, so that was pretty cool."

They traveled off the road, heading down into the small hill as the Black Door came into view.

"She'll be lucky if she doesn't get an earful from me..." She sighed, opening the door.

She entered inside, hearing Astrid cackling down below.She came into eye's view, a grin beginning to form as Astrid surprisingly showered her with pride.

"Let's see the Emperor try to ignore this!" She threw her head back to laugh, "His dear cousin, murdered at her own wedding!"

She tossed Carciniea a large bag, much heavier than it appeared, "Go and talk to Gabriella when you're feeling up to a little more mischief. I do believe now you deserve rest, for a job well done."

She gave a nod, her eyelids were heavy and needing rest, but the rest of her was still craving more action in the world.She thought it would only be kind to wait up for Veezara, thanking him for helping her back there.

"I thought you were going to give her an earful?" Lucien asked, the sound of his voice making her jump.

"You're still here?!" She growled in a harsh whisper, "Usually you've disappeared by now."

"I was thinking about what you have been saying, plus the Void does get lonely without a companion..."

She grinned at him, rolling her eyes as she went onward, "You miss me, whether you admit it or not."

She went up a small pile of stairs, entering the sacred room that contained the Night Mother and her coffin. In truth, Carciniea wasn't there to talk down to the Unholy Matron, but because she wanted to observe what was behind the corpse.

"Every time I enter the sanctuary, I always see this," her head nodded to the stained glass that laid behind the sarcophagus, "It's beautiful, is it not?"

"It is, indeed."

"But now, I can't help but notice," she approached it, maneuvering herself around the unlit candles, "See these little engravings? This one, the one on the right, it looks more feminine and lively. The other looks more ghostly, in a sense, and also-"

"You are trying to say it looks like us," there was a sharp tone to his words. She cringed at the idea of angering him.

"Well, yes..." She began, sitting herself on the hard ground, "I'm not trying to upset you, I'm just-"

"No, not upset me, but guilt me into sympathizing you and show false affection. I know how you feel, you have shown me undying devotion from the second you laid eyes on me," his eyes narrowed, "Yet here I am, never once returning the affection."

A deep silence loomed through the room, Lucien refused to show any signs of guilt for what he said. Carciniea bit her lip, wrapping her arms around her knees.

"I just wished you would understand," she whimpered, hiding a piece of her face behind her knees, "You'll say or do something sweet, become all I ever think about- Then this happens. I'm sorry for the guilt and everything, I am! I just-" Lucien held up a hand, already predicting her next few words. She quieted down, rubbing away a few tears that stained her cheeks. She crawled over to a seat nearby Lucien, curling up on it. It was old and creaked when she laid he weight on it, but it was certainly more comfortable than the floor.

"Lucien?" He rested a hand on the back of her head, stroking her dark colored hair. Her eyes began to close on their own, her breathing began to steady once more.

"My Listener, how many I times must I tell you?" She heard him try to console her, his voice much softer than the aggressive mood it took on a moment earlier, "Move on, find a nice boy, find some happiness out of this life. You don't need to confine yourself to a solitary life with only me. I can't be your everything."

She struggled to wake up and protest; she wanted to tell him he was wrong, terribly wrong for thinking that. She wanted to tell him he was already everything she needed and would wait as long as she needed. But, this only came out in groans as sleep took her into its clutches at the last second.

~*~

_Fire had emitted from the darkness around her, the dark void around taking on form. At first, it had seem as if she was in the middle of war. Though she soon realized it was not war itself, she was in fact in the very center of a battlefield. There were soldiers, many of them that could barely be made out. The large, dancing flames took great contrast to the rest of the vague setting and characters._

_There was a mighty roar, a howling that was once more heard at any earlier time. Another form took on from the soldiers; these lied limp and unmoving, a few were almost dragging themselves away. There was screaming, begging, wailing, shrieking and other terrible noises that all held one simple undertone._

_It was, at first, very audible and could barely be deemed a low hum. The humming grew louder, snickering and laughing that soon drowned out the painful cries. The laughter was soon all that could be heard, echoing. There was something deeper in this laughter, a tone that could only be understood by another of its kind. It was madness, pure and simple in its form_.

Carciniea had woken up from the strange dream, her peripheral vision was blurred, she strained to see. She rubbed the crusty gunk out of her eyes in hopes it could help. She felt the warmth of a thick, woolen blanket cover her torso, upper arms, and legs. She wondered if someone had came in and covered her, or if this was Lucien's obscure affection.

"Have you awaken?" She heard a familiar voice.

She noticed her reflexes had as well been slowed down as she slept, an ache in her neck emerged as she craned to see Veezara looming over her. "I tried waiting for you," she weakly smiled.

"So I see," he clasped her shoulders, helping her reposition to sitting up straight. "Gabriella has been awaiting you. Something told me you would be here."

"Gabri-?" Her eyes bugged, groaning as her head fell back, "Shit, I forgot about her. You know where she is?"

"I don't think that information is useless now," she heard Gabriella chime in, leaning against the doorway, "I understand sleep is important, but don't you think sleeping until the late afternoon is, well... Over doing it?"

"Afternoon? Wait, then what time is it?" She shrugged, "The sun should be setting in an hour or so. Maybe a little less, who knows. Shall we get down to business while there is still daylight?"

Gabriella took out a folded sheet of parchment, tossing it in her direction.

"Since the Emperor's arrival is a certainty, we'll have to breach his security if we want to get anywhere near him. Your objective is Gaius Maro, the son of head security. Take him down, plant the incriminating evidence, and our job is that much simpler. Got it?"

"Yeah... I think... I do," she nodded in confirmation.

"Good. Now the real fun begins," she laguhed, a cold shiver running up Carciniea's spine at the thought of what this 'fun' could be. "Let's say you take Maro down in one of the capital cities, hm? You do just that, and I'll give you a little bonus I think you'd like. I have a friend in Whiterun who gives future readings to anyone holding her tokens. Is that a deal?"

 _Don't do it_ , she thought. _Take the easy road out, take him the second he's alone, nothing too stressful._

"Sure, why not," she nodded, her palm mentally slapping her forehead. It wasn't a total failure, though. She did have an interest in that sort of thing, may it be true or not.


	8. Through the Eyes of Another

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carciniea hunts after Cicero, learning a little more of the stance little Imperial as well as Lucien.

"You could have just followed my directions and followed the road," Lucien called to his companion, climbing over one of Haafingar's smaller mountains, "Could save you quite the trouble."

"I could," she panted, pulling herself over onto a flat surface, "But that's not exactly fun. Plus, this is easier for reconnaissance and whatnot."

Lucien wondered how he could have ever gotten tangled up in this mess - He was trained murderer with an insatiable appetite to kill, yet here her was, playing tag-along with no real physical contact to the world.

"What's with the lolly gagging?" She called back to him, "You seem really distracted today. Is everything alright?"

He snapped out of his little trance, "Yes, yes. Forgive me, my mind is far from missing." He caught up to her, the two taking in the sight of the forests below.

Carciniea crouched down in an effort to help catch her breath, though she was nonetheless astonished at the sights below them. "Hey Luce, didn't you mention at one point you traveled here?"

"I may have, yes."

"Was it any different from now?"

He sat beside her, his mind tracing back to an earlier age, at a much earlier time. "Nothing too drastic, may I say. I traveled here when I was still a wandering adventurer, even then I had a bloodlust. But that was before I met the Brotherhood and before I knew what I was put here for."

"And what would that be?" She sang, smiling as she imagined a younger Lucien, shy and nervous. Her mental portrayal was probably not very accurate as to how he really acted, but the thought of it still gave her butterflies.

"To serve the Dread Lord as best I can. And, from what I grasp, I still have much to learn..." He grimaced as his voice slowly trailed off.

"Don't say that," Carciniea's voice took on a more serious demeanor, "Please, you're the greatest thing that ever happened to the Brotherhood. Why, look at it now, because there's not another Lachance to look after it. You're a hero."

Her words echoed through vast emptiness, the wind carrying her heavy words through the mountains. She prepared her meek self for Lucien to snap at her, telling her to get over herself. To her surprise, he gave her a gentle smile; he placed a hand on her knee.

"You give me too much credit," he chuckled, "Moments like these make me wonder what could have happened if you were first to return to Applewatch instead."

A tear caught her by surprise, blurring the edge of her vision. She wiped it away, nonchalantly answering, "I would've been relieved, that's for sure. I already know what I would've done, actually." She looked to him, "I would've hugged you and tell you how much I love you."

He gave her knee a tight squeeze before releasing her from his grasp. He scanned through the settings around them, taking in a breath of the crisp air, "We still have a ways to go, I see."

"Still?! I thought Dragon's Bridge would right over this mountain!" Carciniea fell onto her back. "Not fair..." The light of the sun that was now positioned straight above that blinded her momentarily.

Her mind flashed to a question she had meant to ask for a while: "Have you ever been in love?"

 

"I was young, even then did I loyally serve the Brotherhood," his tone turned into a grim one, a cold breeze brushing through, "But, when you murder there always ends up a bounty. I was out of control with this desire to kill- That is when I met her." Carciniea's expression hardened at the mention of this other woman. "She was a bounty collector, always chasing me no matter where I went," he pressed on, "We had ups and downs; as much as she denied it, we were in love. I did not brag about it to my fellow members, of course, but when I saw her- There was a distinct undertone of the threats and the attacks."

"She sounds like she wasn't interested," Carciniea pouted.

"There was a particular night she managed to keep me busy for a few hours. I had time to spare, and she used up every last second. That must have been the one contract I could not manage to complete," he turned his head to capture a glimpse of her from his peripheral vision, "And do you know what happened to her?"

"She moved on like she should have?"

"You are upset by the topic," he observed, "But no, if it means anything to you, I killed her. I was given the contract to slay her and so I did. I loved her, kept her and her memories dear to me. I could not help but savor her screams as my blade cut the life from her beautiful body. It oozed over my hands and I licked it clean from my blade. She was afraid, but is that not the beauty of death? You are no longer a soldier, nor a slave, a trader, a warrior, not even a killer. You are but a child; a scared, cold little child fighting with all your strength to just... Reach out and grasp that fading sunlight before you. Alas, a mere twist of the hilt and it all goes black. Her soul become one with the Void and so shall it be." He crouched down, facing her. "Now you see, my Listner. Now you see why I choose to be so reserved. This is why I choose to devout my life to my work and to the Dread Father, ignoring anything and everything else. This is why I choose to ignore your romantic feelings."

"I'm not going to stop," she finally met eyes with him, "You know I'm not. If nothing stopped me before, then what makes you think I'm ready to give up hope on you?"

He chuckled to himself, turning away from her. "You truly are my protégé, then. Stubborn, strong-willed... I would say obedient, but there is no doubt you and I differ on the subject. But, we have spent too much daylight already sitting here and reminiscing away. We must get to Dragon's Bridge soon before Maro is gone."

"You got it, boss," she gave a thumbs up, slowly beginning the climb down onto safe and solid ground.

It wasn't until around the early evening that Dragon's Bridge came into view, the two were careful to stay out of plain view and take a look at everything from a safe distance. Carciniea managed to climb onto a few roofs, holding onto dear life to the thick, bound hay that she wouldn't fall off and get caught. As she remained hidden, she managed to find Gaius Maro with a young, fair woman. She overheard them exchange a few words:

"You're doing what you're doing and that alone makes me proud. But... Just make sure you come back to me, you hear?"

"Faida, I may be traveling alone, but I carry you with my always in my heart. See you soon, dear," he kissed her forehead, giving her one last smile before heading on.

She crawled onto the other side, landing on the safe dirt. "Okay, Luce, so what's the plan again?"

"Perhaps grabbing his schedule inside could help us stay one step ahead."

"Aha!" She wagged a finger, as if she was the one who figured it out, "... So, how do we do that? Wait- No, I know! I just hang around the door nonchalantly as if I have nothing better to do, you go in and whisk it underneath the doorway, I pick it up, voilà!"

"I suppose, yes," he sighed, disappearing from her sight.

She took this as a cue of action, casually strutting to the front of the post. She leaned near the doorway, her eyes glancing from the floor to somewhere off in the distance to avoid Commander Maro's intense stare. The letter finally slipped out, Carciniea instantly darting for it as she made as a hasty getaway. Lucky for her, Commander Maro looked very suspicious of her.

She fumbled to open it up, scanning over the note. "Day, day, day... What day is it? Morndas, yes, but-"

"The evening will begin shortly, once the sun is halfway down..."

"... Then when he's asleep in Solitude, I can strike him there and plant the evidence!" Lucien nodded in agreement, Carciniea striking a punch in the air, "Gods, I am good."

She headed off to the capital city of the province, silently hoping to herself the city guards wouldn't take too much notice of her. And to her luck, they didn't. She slipped right through them, avoiding their suspicious gazes and headed inside.

"Quite a city," she admired, the evening sky complimenting the town's structures, "Reminds me of my childhood home. Very nice, thrived with people and business, until the Crisis happened... I can't seem to recall the name of the city."

"Do not get too distracted," Lucien warned, his ghostly aura contrasting brightly to the darker surroundings. "Maro shouldn't be too far."

She rolled her eyes, pulling out Maro's schedule. "Castle Dour," she pointed out, "Lucien, this is where you come in."

"Stay close." He lead on, Carciniea following not too far behind.

She began to follow, noticing a pack of torch-wielding guards traveling together. There was Gaius Maro, the only one want that didn't hold a torch in the small group. He stuck out like a sore thumb, when an idea came into her head.

"Listener?" Lucien questioned, noticing Carciniea diverting her attention as she went head first into the group. She apologized and excused herself repeatedly, squirming her way through the small crowd when Maro closed in on her, his eyes looking past her as if she was a ghost. She silently and quickly took out her dagger, pushing it into his lower stomach. She heard him let out a gasp and small grunt, a smirk danced across her face as she whispered, "Sorry." He struggled some, before collapsing against her. She quietly let him down, slipping the incriminating letter into his hand. She laid him on the ground, slipping the dagger in her boot instead as she quickly made her way deeper into the town.

"Not exactly our forté, but cunning nonetheless," Lucien commented, leaning against a cemetery fence.

Carciniea hopped over it, stretching her arms, "At least the deed is done. Still, I can't help but feel a bit... Sad. You know, cause he died."

"Those prone to regret are not cut out for our line of work, my Listener," Lucien reminded, "Using Gaius Maro as a pawn in his own father's destruction should give you nothing but pleasure. Gaius should feel lucky to have been such an integral part in the plan to return the Dark Brotherhood to its former glory."

"I know, I know... I wonder if everything is alright back at the sanctuary," she collapsed to the ground, leaning against one of the old tombstones, "I don't how to explain it, I just have this weird feeling that- Oh." She noticed her spectral friend had vanished once more, the world around her feeling that much colder. "That's okay," she spoke to the vacant air, "No big deal."

 

~*~

 

"I've been waiting," Gabriella greeted Carciniea around the entrance. 

"Gaius Maro lies dead," the smaller Breton girl bowed in return.

"Yes, we know. And as I promised, you're bonus," she tossed her a small coin bag along with a small blue gem, Now that's out of the way we have more personal matters here."

"I... Don't understand."

"It's Cicero. There's been a little incident. Head on into the sanctuary, Astrid will be waiting." Gabriella waved a dismissive hand, Carciniea immediately darting to underground opening. A rush of fear shot through and twisted her stomach at the sound of the news.

Further in, almost everyone crowded around a wounded Veezara. There was blood on the ground, a foul smell ran through. Everyone looked shocked or surprised; Astrid's face was even flushed as it looked as if she had been crying.

"Relax, Veezara. Let the elixir do its work and you'll be up again in no time," Babette instructed, picking up an empty, rosy red bottle.

"What in Oblivion happened?" Carciniea gasped, rushing to her friend's side. "Are you okay?"

"Cicero is what happened!" Astrid snapped, cutting off Veezara before he had a chance to reply to Carciniea's question. "The little fool went berserk, harmed Veezara, and tried to kill me! I knew he couldn't be trusted..."

"There's got to be a reason! It's not like he woke up and decided to go on a rampage. What happened?"

"He went ranting and raving about how the Night Mother was the true leader, saying Astrid was just a 'pretender'." Nazir shrugged, "I have to admit, the whole ordeal was a bit... Unpredicted."

"Damn it!" Astrid stomped a foot on the ground, wiping her eyes. She grabbed Carciniea by the forearm, squeezing it tightly. "We have to deal with this- _You_ have to deal with this."

Carciniea snatched her arm away. "I'm sorry? I don't-" She paused mid-sentenced. Her eyes carefully examined everyone around them. Cicero was unstable, so who knows how many members he has potential of killing. Even if they bested him, that's still one more life lost. There was something about Cicero that was important; something about him that would keep her awake at night. "Actually... Yes, yes. What do you want me to do?"

"Find my husband, first of all. He went into a rage and went after that little jester. Once you find him and he's alright, end that little fool's life. Go into his room and search for any clues where he went, I'm going to see to Veezara and calm everyone down."

Carciniea turned to leave, when a thought came into her head. "Hey, Astrid." She turned back, awaiting a response. Carciniea gave a comforting smile to her and then to Veezara, "Everything is going to be okay."

"I trust your words," Veezara returned the smile, nodding.

"We'll just have to see," Astrid turned back to the group, but it didn't affect Carciniea. Something told her everything, in the end, was going to be alright and she clung to that hope like a torchbug to a candle.

"To be bested by a fool... Now who's the real fool?" Veezara sadly chuckled to himself.

Babette gave him a small hug, patting his good shoulder as an attempt to keep him in Hugh spirits. Hush now, you were very brave. Astrid may not be here if it not for you," she encouraged, getting a few chuckles from the others.

But for Carciniea, all the happiness drained from her face as she turned to leave. She took a small detour, ending up in the large room where the Night Mother and her coffin laid. She forced the doors open, the smell of death filling the room.

"Is this it?" She coldly asked, "To be recognized as the true leader? So you had Cicero go bizarre and had him hurt my friend? I'm not going to help you, no, you naïve, rotting bitch. Astrid may not be my favorite person, but I like her much more than I tolerate you. Get a new fan club somewhere else, because I don't want any part of it."

She didn't bother waiting for a response, even doubting she would receive one. Her only concern was to find Cicero, then decide what she was going to do. She was reluctant to the idea of killing him, since she knew there was something they weren't telling her, but her mind flashed back to what Lucien said back at Solitude: " _Those prone to regret are not cut out for our line of work_."

She entered Cicero's room, noticing how his rampage even affected the room. She tapped her chin, rummaging through the disorganized items. "If I were a traitorous madman, how would I handle my thoughts and feelings?" She wondered aloud. As if on cue, her eyes found a couple journals that laid scattered on a couple boxes in the corner. She picked up the one closest, opening it to the front page to read _Volume 1_.

She sat down against the boxes, her curiosity getting the best of her as she flipped through and read the small journal. " _Let this volume serve as the personal record of one man, a lowly assassin who has pledged his blade and his life for the Dark Brotherhood_ ," she read, a smile catching her, "Sounds like Lucien."

She continued to read on, quietly awaiting for Lucien to materialize and hopefully explain this all to her. Near the later beginning of the journal, a small piece caught her eye and tugged hard on her heartstrings. "... This Sactuary knows suffering, knows sorrow, for the ghosts of Purification still haunts its halls," she dropped the journal on her lap, releasing a heavy sigh. She quickly snapped out of it, pushing those regretful memories into a corner of her mind for the time being.

"Time is being wasted," spoke Lucien as he materialized in her peripheral vision. "And Cicero's life becomes more endangered with each passing minute."

"Lucien- Really, have you read this? It's... It's brilliant," she said in awe, "Cicero... He seemed so intelligent, almost poetic in a sense. It was like I was reading about a whole 'nother person."

" _Listener_."

"Okay, okay. I know, but what really happened? Where is Cicero?" She asked, slowly growing anxious.

He did not reply; instead, a cold breeze gusted through to the opposite side of the room.

Carciniea took this as a hint, slowly placing the journal back on the crate and noticed another journal, flipped open, on top of a nightstand. She slowly picked it up, reading aloud from the page it was on: "I've been reading of Skyrim, of the good days, the old days, of the Old Ways. There was another Sanctuary once - A Dawnstar Sanctuary. Good, ancient and strong. Blessed by Sithis. Cicero will go there! No need of Astrid! The Mother and I will settle, and she will speak to me, finally, and we will build the Old Ways anew, together." She turned the page, skimming through before finally reading: "The Black Door will ask, 'What is life's greatest illusion?' And I am to answer, 'Innocence, my brother.'"

Lucien nodded. "What will be your choice?"

"I... I..." She hesitated, "Aren't you suppose to tell me that? I don't even know the full story!"

"I have told you before, I cannot always instruct you on what to do."

"Tell me, dammit! I'm so torn, I feel like I would be making a mistake either way!" She collapsed into her hands, her fingers knotting and pulling her hair. She let out a huff, collecting herself altogether before she popped like a balloon. "Okay, okay I'm ready."

"You have made up your mind?"

"Not even close, I'm just going to take this one step at a time."

She began to leave and return to Astrid, Lucien speaking up before she left the Keeper's room, "You may kill this jester if you so desire, but there is a disturbance in the Void. Our Dread Father does not wish this."

She halted for a single moment, only to say: "You know, Lucien, he reminds me of you and Bellamont. Your undying allegiance to this Brotherhood, with a madness akin to the Traitor's. This, my friend, is why I find is so hard to decide. If the Dread Father does not wish this, I will heed his word." She left.

 

 

~*~

 

 

"Have you found something?" Astrid asked, helping Veezara onto his feet.

"I've got a lead he's heading to an abandoned Sanctuary in Dawnstar. I... Have the pass phrase."

"Why? What for? Gah, it doesn't matter now. Take my horse, Shadowmere. You'll find him by the pool. Every minute counts, so don't waste it. Find my husband, then tear open that little jester's throat."

She followed after Astrid and Nazir, both keeping the wounded Veezara steady and leading him to his bed. "Astrid, please, can't we work this out?"

"Look, the Brotherhood is home, it's a family. We have ancient wizards, ten-year old vampires, werewolves, more! But Cicero, he can't look past an outdated fashion and embrace the new. Now look where it got him."

"Well, what set him off? He wouldn't do this out of nowhere."

"To be honest, I'm not exactly discreet about this situation. You know, the Night Mother, you being the Listener and all. No offense. But I may have been talking to the other members and, well... I may not have been quite respectful."

"That's okay, I suppose. I do the same thing actually. You know, you being an damnable leader, incompetent almost. No offense," she mocked Astrid's tone, nonchalantly shrugging it off, "Now that's out there, I suppose I have to go play hero and find you're husband."

She left the sanctuary, heading outside to confirm what Astrid had said. That woman worked wonders on her nerves, but she didn't count her as a liar. A black mist covered the eerily quiet pond, bubbles rising to the surface and rippling the strangely dark water.

A black horse with glowing red eyes emerged, a wide grin setting across Carciniea's face as she went to pet it, "Hey, there. You remember me?" The horse replied by softly whining and nuzzling its nose against her.

"Yeah, you remember me alright. We sure have changed, haven't we?" She smiled sadly, "Wanna go on one last adventure?"

Shadowmere neighed with excitement. She went to its side, mounting and climbing on top of the dark horse.

"Lucien," she addressed her indivisible friend, though he was out of her sight, "I'll meet you at the Dawnstar Sanctuary."

 

~*~

 

Carciniea and Shadowmere rode north, making it deep into the night. She could feel they were close, feeling a slight nip in the air which slowly turned into heavy snow coming down on them. It was this freezing cold that she found to stay awake easier. The small town coming into view, the city dead with the exception of a few guards on patrol.

"Arnbjorn?" She called, sliding off of Shadowmere and onto the snowy grass. She followed along the shore line heading east, calling his name repeatedly.

"Humph. Had a hunch Astrid would send you," she heard a faint growl not too far. She passed by a few more rocks to find a Black Door, and Arnbjorn sitting in a pool of blood. One hand clutched his shoulder.

"You're welcome," she rolled her eyes, stretching a hand out to him, "Come on, you're hurt."

"Really? I didn't notice," he snickered, taking her hand and help lifted himself to his feet, "Ha ha ha ha... I admit, that jester is good with that little stick of a butter knife. But that's okay, I gave it as good as I got."

"I need to know where Cicero is." Her eyes wandered back to the door, "He's in there, isn't he?"

He slightly cocked his head back, "Yeah. I would've gone after him, but I don't know the phrase."

"Good thing I do. I got Cicero, alright? Take Shadowmere and go home. You need rest. Astrid is worried sick about you."

"Sounds good, but I think I'll walk. Don't think I'd be very useful anyway. He cut me pretty deep. But I slashed him good, too. Hopefully severed an artery. Follow the blood, should lead you right to him."

She nodded, slowly making her way to the door. She could hear its ghostly voice ring out, " _What is life's greatest illusion_?"

"Innocence, my brother."

"Welcome home." The hand glowed, the door creaking open on its own. She entered the sanctuary, firmly closing the old door behind her.

She took a few steps forward, her hands rubbing her forearms in an attempt to warm them. "Cicero? Hello?"

"Listener! Is that you? Oh, yes! Send the best to defeat the best! Astrid knew her damned pup couldn't kill old Cicero!"

She made her way through the door, sprinting ahead to meet railings that prevented her from descending the stairs. She felt desperate, needy, almost exhilarated. "Cicero, please! It's okay, I'm here! You can trust me, please Cicero," she begged, shaking the bars out of rage.

She felt a cold, ripping pain slice horizontally across her back. She let out a yelp of surprise, her good hand darting to her dagger. She turned back to see Lucien finishing a ghostly guardian of the sanctuary.

"Stay alert," he advised, leading the way to a detour.

"No, no, no! This isn't what Mother would want! No, not at all! You kill the Keeper or I kill the Listener? Why- Why that's madness!"

"Cicero listen to me! I can help you! Please, just let me in. Let me help!" She called, wandering onto an old rickety bridge. Thankfully for Lucien's timing, he demanded her to halt in time to let a rusty old spear strike through, one more step and it could have killed her.

"My home is well defended. I've always been a stickler to details! Geddit? 'Stick-ler'? Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Oh, I still got it!" Carciniea couldn't help but smile at the pun, though she did her best to conceal her amusement.

"It doesn't have to be like this!" Her expression quickly melted into one of worry as she maneuvered her way around the old spears, Lucien was already ahead and fighting off another guardian.

They made it down the stairway, Cicero's voice ringing through once more. This time, in a more doubtful manner: "Y-You're still alive? I respect the Listener's abilities, of course, but... Could we slow down a bit? I'm not exactly what I used to be. Heh, heh..."

Carciniea found a closed door, knowing deep in her heart it would lead her to her little jester. She tried to push and force the door open, letting out a pained groan as it was barred on the other side. She turned around, her back to the door. "Cicero, please, I know you're in there," she begged, "I have been commanded to kill you, but I refuse to. Don't you see? I know what it's like to be alone, please, I can help you! But first, let me in..."

There was silence on the other side. She hoped he was considering this, or even thinking about his decision in the first place.

Lucien whistled to her, catching her attention as he pointed to a large opening in the wall. "It will lead us to the jester," he explained, heading inside without her. She winced, her back searing with pain. She willed herself up, reluctantly following after her.

"Ooh! Chilly! You'll love this part, I just know it! Now, this isn't exactly part of the original Sanctuary layout. We'll just call it a 'forced addition', for now. Forced by what? He he, come and see!"

Carciniea's pace slowed down some, carefully examining the small icy cavern around them. "Luce, I have a bad feeling about this..."

"It does not matter."

There was a small opening, where a mutilated goat laid dead with several bear traps surrounding it. "What the..." She began, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. There was a strange howling sound, very close by. She gripped her dagger tightly, her eyes widening as she was face-to-face with a familiar looking troll.

"Oh, come on!" She complained, lashing a deep cut into its forearm.

The troll let out a cry, thrashing and flailing its arms wildly that knocked Carciniea onto the hard, snowy ground below. She groaned, slowly pushing herself up when the troll landed next to her, lifeless. Lucien stood above her, nodding his head to the right. She pushed herself up, catching up to him.

"Alright, alright!" Yelled Cicero, sounding as if he was in the middle of a desperate, heated argument. So Cicero attacked that little harlot! So what? What's a fool to do when his Mother is being slandered and mocked? Surely the Listener understands, no?"

"I do," she whispered to herself, following Lucien out of the small crevice and back into an actual extension of the Sanctuary. From the looks of it, this must be where the guardians gathered.

Three more appeared, two of them rushing toward Lucien as the third charged at Carciniea. She attempted to parry the ghost's attack, only for their sword to go through her dagger and land on her shoulder. She let out a cry, swishing her small dagger at them,"I can't fight them!"

Lucien let out a roar of anger, slashing the ghost into a pile of dark liquid before completely disappearing. She knelt to the ground, her arm covering her new wound, "I-I don't know how much longer I can go on..."

"Cicero admits, he thought the Listener would be dead by now. Heh. How about we forget this whole ordeal, hmm? Let bygones be bygones? Whaddya say?"

Lucien knelt beside her, resting a hand on her uninjured shoulder, "We are close. You mustn't give up now."

She nodded, picking herself back up. They came to a gate, a translucent hand coming from a nearby wall and managing to land a cut on her thigh. Lucien fought away the last guardian, while Carciniea fell and stumbled back down the steps.

"If it's any consolation, I do feel bad about harming Veezara. He got in my way, what am I to do?! But please, tell me that little sheepdog has bled to death."

She sat up, feeling a bruise swelling in the back of her head. "Okay, I admit, that did upset me. But Veezara was trying to stand up for Astrid..." She groaned, needing the assistance of a wall to stand up, "Like I plan on standing up for you."

She crawled back up the stairs, giving Lucien a cheesy grin, "Have I ever mentioned I sucked at combat? Like, there's slim chance of me winning unless I catch them by surprise." She yanked on the chain, the little gate sliding down. She was met with the final door that kept her and Cicero apart.

She laid a wear hand on it, her body as she tried hard to keep herself standing. She wondered if this was a trap, and she was falling hard.

"We have now come to the ending of our play..." Cicero said shakily. She could hear his unsteady breathing through the door. "Our grand finale!"

"Cicero please, I mean no harm. I don't want to hurt you, but if you leave me no choice... We can have each other; you and me, no Astrid, no Arnbjorn, just us. One on one. Please," she slowly opened the door, "I just want to help you."

She saw Cicero lie on the ground, curled up. Like Arnbjorn, he had his hands covering over his wound. He had the same grin that somehow managed to make her smile in return, though she could see an undertone of pain and fear beneath it.

"Oh- Oh, Cicero..."

"You caught me! I surrender! Ha ha ha ha." He laughed, as if trying to ease the tension.

She felt a corner of her mouth twitch into a smile.

"You prefer silence, eh? But of course! The Listener listens! A funny joke, indeed. Yes, I get it... I admit I attacked that harlot Astrid, and I'd do it again! For our dear Mother I would! But please, find it in your heart. Let me live, live to dance and sing. Tell her you strangled me with my own intestines!"

Carciniea personally found this to be... Excessive, to say the least. Still, her eyes locked with Cicero's pleading eyes which soon narrowed. She still had her dagger out, slowly approaching the helpless jester.

"Listener, please, reconsider-" Lucien whispered to her.

"Do what you will. Cicero has no fight left in him," he panted, hissing at her, "In the end, Sithis will judge us both."

"And judge us he shall." She slowly laid the knife at the foot of the few steps. She sat behind him, picking up his head and laying him on her lap.

"I... I... I don't understand."

"I already told you, my little jester," she chuckled softly, "I'm not here to hurt you. I want to help."

"H-Help Cicero? Truly?"

"That's what I've been saying silly," she smiled. One hand slid to where his own hand clutched, trying to pull up his shirt. His hand resisted, swiping at her's. "Cicero, please, let me take a look at it."

Slowly, reluctantly his hand moved from the dark red stained part of his jester shirt. She slowly peeled it off, to find bare skin with a deep gash as well as a couple bite marks. The bite marks look like they have barely broken through the skin, but the gash was probably what caused a majority, if not all, of the bleeding.

Cicero had already lost so much blood, could he survive the night? She stared into the wound, a couple tears slowly forming.

"Lucien," she murmured to her friend, "I- I don't know what to do. I don't know have any potions, I don't know how to use magic... I don't even have anything to be crafted into a potion, or just keep his energy up."

She ran a finger along the edge of the gash. She was no longer concerned or focused on her own injuries, feeling a few tears fall down her cheeks and land on his bare skin.

"I came all this way, just to see him die either way it went." She closed her eyes, allowing a few more tears to flow down. She felt a strange warm sensation tingle through her hand, opening her eyes to see a golden light wrap around her wrist and his wound. Slowly, the gash began to seal itself away as new, strong skin was reforming itself and over the bite marks. 

A smile spread across her face, her eyes beginning to dry.

"You have magic somewhere in your spirit," Lucien encouraged her, "You just have to find it, first." She nodded, watching as he disappeared back into the Void.

"You're special," Cicero spoke up.

"Oh? Am I?"

"You hear things, more than our Mother," he moaned, "You argue, you long, you even laugh with them! Cicero thinks the Listener has a rather nice laugh, too. I remember the last time you had returned from a contract, you went into Mother's quarters. I thought you were talking with her, receiving her guidance! Cicero didn't mean to eavesdrop, really! He was just... Curious. That's when I heard you cry, heard you argue. Soon enough you fell asleep, right in that uncomfortable old chair! There I fetched you a blanket and let you sleep."

She combed her fingers through his bright hair, mulling over her words. Cicero was one person, maybe she could share her secrets with him? Even if he did tell, how many people would truly believe him?

"Yes," she nodded, "I'm afraid you're right. My closest friend, at least in this day and age, isn't really amongst the living. Once upon a time, yes. He was the best I have ever seen. And, Cicero, don't think you're not special as well."

He laughed, "Specially mad."

"Other than that. Cicero, since I got here the only good dreams I've had includes hearing your laugh. Something about you just... Makes me happy, makes me smile. That's something I haven't been in a long time. See?"

She lied down, grunting as she felt her bare back and wide cut against the icy stone ground. She slid off his hat, laying it to the side so she could play with more of his hair. Se was tired, exhausted from the trip and the useless fighting against the spectral guardians. Still, this was rather peaceful.

"My Listener?" He yawned.

"Yes, my little fool?"

"What does the Night Mother's voice sound like?"

She thought this over. The Night Mother's voice was like nails scratching on a chalkboard to her, but she couldn't say that to someone like Cicero- Someone who has longed to hear her voice for who knows how long. "She sounds like... It's more of a hushed whisper, as if she was telling you a secret. Her voice is very raspy, but that just makes it more exhilarating. Her ghost's voice, on the other hand, is more soft. As if she really was your mother."

She felt Cicero curl up against her, a satisfied smile on his face. "Tell me a story."

She chewed her tongue, a devious grin came to her face. She had an idea, wondering to herself if Lucien was still listening in on them. "Have I ever told you the tale of Mathieu Bellamont and the great treachery of Cheydinhal? Kill a boy's mother, and vengeance festers in the son..."


	9. A Temporary Truce

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to give a thanks to AAAluv3, who gave me inspiration to finally finish this chapter and progress through the series.

"Must you go?" Cicero's voice wavered. He leaned his head on his Listener's healed shoulder.

Carciniea wrapped an arm around her little jester, giving him a squeeze. "I do. I was actually suppose to be back sooner. Hey-" She picked his chin up, giving him a comforting smile. "Don't think I'm leaving forever. I'll be back to check on you and maybe have a little present with me."

"Yes, yes you're right of course. Cicero can't help but worry, after all. Always worrying and wondering, one or the other maybe both. But that Astrid- That damned wench Astrid, ohh... Promise me you won't let her defile our Mother! Anything, anyone but our beloved Night Mother!"

She chuckled at his irrational thinking, gently tussling his hair and hat. "Yes, yes. Don't get into trouble now, y'hear?" She snickered at the flustered face he made as he tried to straighten his hat, sheathing her dagger.

Cicero followed her through the corridors, his mind racing as he tried to find some kind of excuse to have her stay with him longer. "Oh, woe is me! What pain I feel in my... My, ah-"

"Quiet, fool. I've already checked your side three times, now. You're fine." They came to the exit, a cold wind flowing under the crack beneath the door and the ground. "Alright, now-" She was cut off by a grunt as Cicero clung to her tightly.

"I don't want you to leave," he quietly whimpered into her armor.

This attention she received gave her a warm feeling in her stomach, only to feel it sinking as she knew she couldn't fulfill his wish. She rubbed his back as an attempt to soothe him. "I know, I don't want to leave either. I know you don't want to be alone, but this is temporary. You have to trust me, alright?"

His hands and arms slowly peeled off around her thighs; his gaze fell to the ground as he sadly nodded his head. One hand grasped his hat, sliding it off as he managed to fit it on Carciniea head. "I don't want your ears to get chilly, now." He managed a smile.

"See? There's that smile!" She gave his elbow a small squeeze, pushing the Black Door open. "I'll stop by next time I finish a contract, alright? I'll be back before you can say Sithis!"

He nodded his head. His eyes watched as she slowly left the broken sanctuary, feeling an agonizing pain bite down on him. He turned to lean his back against the freezing cold door, sliding down slowly. He whispered to himself, using this single word as one last beacon of hope: "Sithis."

 

~*~

 

Carciniea was glad to see Shadowmere outside, mounting him. She slipped off Cicero's hat in fear of it falling off during the travel ahead, stashing it in her pocket.

"I am quite pleased you have spared the jester," Lucien spoke up. His hand grazed over the supernatural horse, a longing gaze in his eyes.

"You have to admit, I really fooled you," she gave him a wink, "Even you thought I'd kill him! But I could never- I don't know why, just something about is just so... I'm not sure."

He remained quiet, giving her a victorious silence as she arrogantly stuck her nose in the air. "Come, dear Lucien," she beckoned, "Off to... Shit, where was I suppose to go?"

"Is there a problem?" Shadowmere began a slow trot along the shoreline, heading east. Carciniea rummaged through her pocket, pulling out the small bonus Gabriella had given her, covered in lint. "Gabriella said she had a friend who did readings and that whatnot. I just can't remember..." She focused back on Gabriella's exact words before she head out on her most previous contract.

"WHITERUN!" she exclaimed, startling Shadowmere. "I think that's what it's called, anyways..."

"Ah, Whiterun," he chuckled to himself, "I believe we have yet to visit the city. It is home to quite a few famous places."

They managed to find a road that lead out of Dawnstar, every now and then a sign would pop up to help direct travelers to nearby cities. Whiterun was just south from them, now. It wouldn't have been long before they finally got there, but something about the trip was... Off. Quiet. There were no violent fellow travelers nor anything else. There was the occasional farmer and his cow, besides that they were all alone.

Shadowmere came to a sudden halt, its heading turned to the right. Lucien unsheathed his blade, trying to find any sign of a threat. There was a faint guttural cry, far above them.

"Dragons," Lucien declared, both looking up at the vibrant sky, "Don't stop moving, Whiterun isn't too far now."

True to his word, the city walls of Whiterun emerged from the horizon, a tall castle poking out highest. Carciniea continued to keep an eye on the sky, though, despite the sound becoming more faint. They entered the city, leaving Shadowmere near the stables, wondering through the city.

Carciniea plopped on a bench that sat right outside a small little shack of a house, sighing. "Come to Olava for a reading, have you? Too bad, I'm not quite in the right mood."

She turned her head to spot an old, small woman throwing bread crumbs for the birds around. "Were you talking to me...?"

"Of course, that is why you're here isn't it? For a reading?"

She scrambled her hand into her pocket, "But I have this token for you. Gabriella-"

"Gabriella, eh? I suppose I know why you're here then."

Carciniea felt her jaw drop a little bit, seating herself next to the elderly, "Is it true you can do readings? I kind of want mine read."

"Hmm... Yes, I suppose I can," Olava cupped the younger Breton's into hers, "Mind you, it's not as specific as you'd like but still. Just relax... Yes, open your mind... Just like that..."

"What do you see?"

"There's a cave. No, not a cave. A... home? A place you feel secure. You will find safety there... sanctuary. I see snow, lit by the star of dawn. And you are not alone. There are others. A child of night... a stalker of the sands? Oh, but before you are family, there will be blood...Wait! I see someone laughing, dancing into a mist of nothingness. You follow this person, leaving behind everyone you knew. You two are alone but not frightened; you two find peace in each other," Olava leaned over, one hand rubbing her temples, "I'm sorry... I think I may need to rest for a while, forgive me."

Carciniea gave a small smile, "No, thank you." She took Olava's hand and laid the small token in her hand. The woman nodded, slowly getting up to retreat into her small shack of a home.

She still remained seated, looking down at her gloved hands. She clenched them into fists, turning her head slightly to the left, "Did you get all that, Luce?"

She saw Lucien materialize from the corner of her eye. "A cryptic message, indeed. Shouldn't I be the one to ask if you understood that?"

"Snow, lit by the star of dawn... A child of the night and a stalker of the sands... Laughing and dancing into nothingness," she fully turned to him, arching an eyebrow, "That seemed more poetic than cryptic, if you ask me. By the sound of it, something bad is going to happen and that follows for Cicero. You know I can't afford to lose him."

"Why are you so protective over our little fool of hearts?" He teased a smile to her annoyance.

"I just... I don't want to feel like I'm going to lose you again," her gaze fell, her hands folding neatly over her lap, "I feel like Cicero is the start of a second chance, a new beginning even. With him, I don't feel like I have to face my past."

She noticed he held a hand out for, she took it and entwined one of her longer fingers around his. Even if people gave her funny looks or couldn't see him, she didn't seem to mind for once. She was ready to face the beast named Astrid.

 

~*~

 

She slammed the Black Door shut, heading down the steps of the Samctuary. The firs thing she saw was a sleeping Arnbjorn, who sat on the floor with his head on Astrid's lap. His cuts looked much better than in Dawnstar. She tried to walk past them and act like she saw nothing, when she heard Astrid call to her, "Carciniea." She reluctantly turned around, giving a distant, apathetic gaze.

Astrid hand paused in the middle of stroking his hair, "Arnbjorn is safe and sound in my arms, and for that I thank you. I am in your gratitude. But what of the jester? Did you kill Cicero?"

Carciniea reached into her back pocket where she placed the slightly torn, awkwardly folded hat. "I believe this should be enough verification for you," she mockingly bowed, "Your highness." She straightened her back, turning on heel to leave.

Instead of leaving to join her friends or relax, she took a detour to the far back of the sanctuary, specifically Cicero's old room. The air was cold and stale, then again it seemed this way throughout the sanctuary. She piled up all five volumes of his journals and, for once, sat down and read.

It was the only thing she ever did, other than occasionally leave the room to sneak away some food from the kitchens. She read it all over and over; capturing every detail, painting vivid pictures in her mind, picturing what Cicero was like as a child. She concluded later on he was probably very violent and hug-depraved.

Lucien would materialize every so often to check up on her, try to stray her attention away from the small journals.

"I can't help it," she laughed on one occasion after Lucien asked if she'd every pry her eyes away. "There's just something about this- About these words, their tone, their meaning..." She fell back against the old rickety bed, "It makes him seem human as the rest of us. Like someone couldn't read this and not feel _something_ for him."

"Perhaps fresh air to clear your mind? And need I remind you of the last member you and I knew who kept a journal..."

She sat up slightly, "Oh, come on! You can't possibly solely compare Cicero to Bellamont! And plus didn't you warn me that Sithis didn't wish for his death?"

"That I did," he nodded, "But it is time you put the books down for a little bit, anyhow. Looks like company is on there way..."

He dematerialized into nothingness, though the sound of footsteps echoed through the cooridor. Astrid's head popped around the corner, curious and surprised to see Carciniea down there.

"We've wondering where you've been hiding," she took a step in, Carciniea didn't even bother to look her way, "Listen, as an apology you can hold onto Shadowmere a bit longer. He doesn't get out as much as he should, plus he seems to take a liking to you. So how about we call it a truce?"

Astrid extended a hand out. Carciniea thought about this, sighing to herself as she stood up. She met Astrid's eyes, searching for any sort of trickery or deceit. She gripped the other woman's hand, confirming with a nod, "Truce."


	10. A Glimpse of the Void

Things have managed to settle somewhat in the Sanctuary after Carciniea and Astrid finally made their truce. Tensions have been put to rest, though Carciniea herself had no interest in leaving her new favorite spot in the back of the Sanctuary.

Lucien's disappearing schedule had become strange; he'd be there one moment to be a remark on her strange new habits and then recede back into the depths of the Void.

A deep, stark loneliness began to fill Carciniea's heart as she became engulfed in the foreboding room. She never ate unless her appetite felt as if it was on a verge or sleep unless her body commanded it. She even took a break from the contracts, as her interest in bringing down the emperor dwindled. But, from all this, she felt the fleeting need to leave the room. She never really paid much attention to this thought, until she managed to put down the final volume to Cicero's journalistic series.

She laid the journal open on her stomach, laying her head back against the pillow on the bed. She stretched her arms behind her head, letting out a grand yawn. She couldn't recall what time it must have been.

"Lucien? Are you there?" She called to her friend to no avail. She scoffed at this sudden, sinking feeling, "Of course you're not, because you're idle."

She grumbled some more rude words under her breath, grabbing the pillow and smothering it against her own face. She let out one more yawn, closing her eyes as she moved the pillow off of her face and to the side of the bed. She felt herself beginning to fall, fall far from her physical world which she had grown to loathe and into a world of another.

She heard a faint, vaguely familiar clicking sound that willed her to open her eyes and find herself in a black, deep pit. All around was darkness, a black void at best. She sat up, wobbling to climb to her feet. She jumped at the sound of giggling, her head turning to the source of the disembodied sound to find a familiar looking little girl with long, unkempt black hair that matched the darkness around them.

"Who are you?" She took a step forward, slowly reaching out to the small girl.

Without any sign of acknowledgement or warning, the little girl took off into the distance. This had made Carciniea jump out of her skin. She began to hear the strange clicking sound once more, hesitantly following after the girl, "Wait! I don't think it's safe here for you!"

She followed after the girl into what felt like an endless loop. Carciniea soon tired of this chase, feeling her breath begin to shorten. She rested her hands on her knees, leaning over to pant.

" _They say you used to be like me_ ," she heard a small, youthful voice say.

Carciniea felt her body begin to freeze up, a cold chill ran down her spine. She held what she had so far of her breath, squeezing her knees as she slowly brought her head up. About a yard away, the little girl stood looking at her. Her eyes were completely void of life, only darkness to match their lifeless surroundings. She looked to Carciniea with almost a hurt expression, as if her hopes and dreams were destroyed. It was then it hit Carciniea why she looked so familiar: That was her when she was younger.

The sound of a door slamming rang through the vast emptiness, the girl had completely disappeared from view. The feel of warm breath made the hairs on Carciniea's neck, a raspy voice, as if someone was struggling for one moment to live, shuddered out, "You grew up so alone in such a large family. You felt that the only friends you needed, were the monsters under your bed."

"Clicky?" She asked, her eyes watering in disbelief. The clicking noise, the empty darkness, it all made sense. She finally turned her head to meet eyes with her old friend, to find that she was alone.

"My child, I have watched you grow and blossom and be recreated into what you are now. You should know my name better than any," Sithis, spoke out to her. "I suspect you know why I have brought you here."

"Not a clue," she shrugged, "Family reunion? You wanted me back in the Void forever? Not like I'd be complaining, but the list can go on..."

She slowly turned to meet her friend, but was greeted with darkness. Even in the nothing, she felt as if she was staring into the heart of the Void, into the eyes of Sithis himself. She took a few steps further, hearing the faint sound of other footsteps in the distance.

"You are on Nirn for a reason and one reason alone," Sithis wheezed, his voice coming from directions all around, "The Brotherhood must come back to life. We have tried to prevail against these tragedies, but now I see..."

"What do you see?" She whispered, her gaze lowering to the nonexistent floor.

"What do you see when you close your eyes? Through the never ending darkness, being blinded, what is it that comes into your mental vision?"

Carciniea said nothing of this, instead relaxed her shoulders and deeply inhaled before firmly closing her eyes. She searched through her mind, as if she was going through assorted filing cabinets to find something. In the end, it was not just one, but two things.

"I see Lucien... And Cicero," she finally answered, opening her eyes. Opposite of her gleamed a light, a wall of glass had been silently created while she let down her guard. She walked towards it, each step echoing through nothing.

She noticed her reflection in the glass, but not of her current appearance; she looked just as she did when she was still a young girl, when she first became Silencer. Her hair was no longer in a high ponytail, but was tied in wind braids. It was the first time in two hundred years she had gotten to see her face.

She touched her face, feeling her lightly colored skin against her fingertip, running it across her lips and cheeks. She even pinched her ears. But she noticed a new reflection emerge from nowhere, placing two hands on her shoulders. Her hands slid up to feel the cold, slightly larger ones. She grabbed them, turning around to find a flesh and blood Lucien Lachance.

She felt the breath and words she had kept from him for so long escape her once more, disappearing into the depths of the Void. Her grasp on his hands tightened, her lips parting and moving as she tried to make some form of communication before the opportunity passed over her.

"I... I..." She began, tears already began to well up in her eyes. But these weren't of heartbreak or loss, no, it was of genuine happiness.

Lucien only smirked at this, taking one hand from her grasp and sliding off his hood. He placed his hand back, this time holding her's in his own."It's nice to see you- The real you, Carciniea," he greeted her.

A hand slid up his arm, lingering at his shoulder, and finally raising to softly place it on his cheek. A tear drop fell from her cheek, dropping down and never really hitting anything.

"I can touch you," she murmured to him, almost as if she was in disbelief. She stroked his cheek with her thumb, repeating to herself, "I can touch you..."

"I believe you and I have both been waiting far too long for this moment," Lucien had admitted to her, "Forgive my mixed signals at this topic, I am quite as sensitive of it believe it or not."

Carciniea stared as she wondered what exactly he meant by this, her expression softening even more as she realized the meaning behind it. She wished, prayed, and swore wrath upon the gods if she were to awaken now, interrupting this single moment she had waited for. She straightened herself, wiping her eyes of any remaining tears, and composed herself before falling into a mess of pieces.

She had leaned forward, her hands pressed firmly to his chest as she looked up to him. He had in turn cupped her cheeks in his own, both of them closing their eyes as their lips finally met in the Void.

She savored the touch of his lips, feeling the tip of her ears as their mouths begin to part and explore one another's mouths. Their grip on each other had tighten, when they finally pulled apart they rested their heads against their own as they sat in each other's arms.

"I don't want to go," she muttered into his chest, clinging on him for dear life.

"It is none of our wills that you leave, but mine shall you return," Sithis spoke once more, "There are duties to be filled. The Brotherhood must thrive again."

"Why not someone else?!" She snapped at him, her chest beginning to tighten and swell with anger, "Why does it have to be _me_?!"

Lucien took her by the shoulders, having her take a few steps back. "I will be with you when you awaken," he assured her, taking her hand gently kissing it.

"But... Not like this," she attempted to protest, but melted at the touch of his lips against her hand. "I like this Luce, I've been waiting for this for..."

"I know," he stroked her hand, sighing, "I have been as well. But there are things to be done, first. Maybe then may we meet up without any worries of separation or..."

"Or?" She asked. A shot of fear creeped up on her.

"You have not told her yet," Sithis referred to Lucien, to which he looked away out of anger. "This is... Amusing."

Carciniea's vision shifted back and forth from the vast emptiness around them and to Lucien. She was curious as to what he could have been hiding, but was fearful to press the issue. They were finally together and that much she was more than content with. She felt her grasp on him beginning to slip, as if she was once again in the process of falling. The feeling of just letting go relaxed her, made her momentarily ignore the saddening burden that weighed upon her.

She had finally opened her eyes to find that she was in the old, dusty room in the back of the Sanctuary. The journal that she previously laid on her chest was now sprawled across the ground. She had turned on her side as she dreamed, the first thing she noticed in her sight was the ghostly figure of Lucien.

She gave him a weak smile and wide yawn, stretching her arms. "I had a dream about you," her smile quickly faded, "But... I can't remember. All I know is that I think you were there."

Lucien only stood eerily in the corner, but Carciniea didn't think much of it. She assumed he was in one of his strange moods, carrying on, "Oh, I think there were robots too! I remember smiling a lot, but everything else was a blur. Man, I hate it when my memory does that."

She turned on her stomach, turning her face away from him. "What's been up with you, Luce? You seem so distant lately..."

She didn't bother to wait for a response, digging herself under the warm blanket and curled up tightly. As she slept, Lucien only gazed sadly at her slumbering form. He approached her, a hand gently pushing some hair out of her face. Once more, he withdrew himself from his bitter emotions and shoved them into the dark corner of his mind.

"She still doesn't remember..." He whispered before disappearing back into the Void.


	11. A Milestone Away From Home

Anton Virane had awoken one night in what was partially his bedroom in Understone Keep. Though his mind was awake and conscious of the reality around it, his body laid relaxed and his eyes shut firmly. Though the content look that his face withheld he was, in fact, afraid to open them.

While his mind slowly tugged him out of his dreamland, he felt... Watched. It was late and no one in their right minds would be awake at this hour. Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him? Surely this was probably the Jarl's dogs, as they did have a habit in sneaking around for a late night meal.

He forced his eyes to open and to his surprise, there was someone in e room with him. They sat near the table, their feet kicked up onto the table with their back facing him. He couldn't extinguish the gender, the only thing he could tell was the dark hair tied back into a simple ponytail. From the way they dressed, they weren't here to help cook in the kitchen.

"Who are you?" He narrowed his eyes with impatience, feeling more annoyed than scared or petrified. "What do you want?"

"The Gourmet. Who is he? Where is he?" They demanded, although now he was certain the intruder was female.

"The... The Gourmet?" He felt a sudden burst of outrage, tempted to kick the stranger out himself. He sat up halfway, leaning on his elbows. "Never! I don't know what lead you here, but nothing will betray my trust. I will take the identity of the Gourmet to my grave!"

He saw as she picked off from the table a long knife, pitch black like her hair. She played with it through her fingers and hand; twirling it through as if to tease Anton. "For the Dark Brotherhood, that can be easily arranged."

His eyes widened with fear at the mention of the assassins' guild. "The Dark Brotherhood? Now... Wait a minute. Let's not get hasty. Surely my friend wouldn't want to endanger my own life. Right?" His breath began to shorten into small, heavy gasps. He felt beads of sweat beginning to dot along his hair line. "His name is Balagog Gro-Nolob. He's an Orc! The Gourmet is an Orc! Right now he's staying at the Nightgate Inn. That's all I know! Now... Now you'll let me go, right?"

The woman finally turned her head toward him, half in shadow. From the half he could see he could see she was of Breton origins just as he, but with a glimmer of bloodlust shining in her eyes. "I'm afraid not, sir. So many loose ends..."

"No- Oh please, no..." He begged, throwing the blankets off as he attempted to make a run for it. The second his feet made contact with the floor, however, the assassin took the long dagger and threw it in Anton's direction. The black knife as buried right between the chef's eyes, the man falling to the floor instantly.

She finally left her seat, standing over the freshly deceased chef. "Oh, I do hate it when they make a mess..." She sighed to herself, pressing her shoe on his chest as she pulled the ebony dagger out of his head.

She felt another presence pace behind her, but took no fear in this one. She saw out of the corner of her eye as her ghostly friend stood beside her, looking down at the body, "You were never subtle, my dear Carciniea."

"At least I got what we needed," Carciniea wagged a finger in front of his face, smirking. "So all we have to do now is go to Nightgate Inn and find Bangacock Gro-Nonose something or other..."

Lucien Lachance arched an eyebrow at this, "Please inform me that you did remember the Gourmet's name?"

"It's a pretty weird name, especially for an Orc," she began to leave the Keep, accidentally stepping on Anton Virane's body. "Relax, by the time we're back home it'll probably hit me then and it'll be like I never forgot in the first place!"

Lucien's expression remained unamused, following behind her. He couldn't help but mutter under his breath as they walked out back into the night, "Moments similar to this is exactly why I am here..."

The duo had traveled east, following on an unmarked path right along the border of Winterhold and Dawnstar. Seeing the blankets of snow around them made Carciniea's mind trace back to the popular topic of Cicero. Seeing as Dawnstar was just a little ways from where they were already headed, perhaps she could persuade Lucien into a small detour?

Her mind snapped back to the long, freezing trip they had to endure which prompted her to throw her head back as she whined loudly, "Are we almost there yet?"

Shadowmere even let out an annoyed whine at this, shaking his head. Carciniea grinned at this, petting his long dark mane as an attempt to calm her horse down. She could hear Lucien's ghostly laugh ring out, "You've managed to impress me. I would not think I would ever meet a person who could annoy a horse."

"That's what you get for not answering my question Mr. Lachance," she stuck her nose in the air.

"If it would be any consolation, our target is just up this coming hill," he pointed to the sight of a rooftop peering over the large rocks. By now the twilight sky was now lit with glimmering stars, the two moons sat in harmony behind large cumulus clouds.

Carciniea felt the nippy air beginning to take a turn for the worst, sliding her hands against Shadowmere's warm hide for heat as her body temperature slowly begin to decline. She halted the immortal by the steps of the inn, rubbing her arms together as she asked her ghostly friend, "You don't suppose we could rent a room, do you? I'm not particularly feeling up to riding in this cold."

"Once the Gourmet lies dead and hidden you may rest," he slid off the horse, "But I must warn you-"

"I know, I know." Carciniea cut him off, leaning her head against Shadowmere. "Work first, rest later. I swear, sometimes I feel like you're trying to work me to death..."

"I didn't think you would mind so much," he chuckled. He began to head on around the building, eyeing the surroundings curiously without the company of his Listener, who quickly leapt off her horse to catch up to him.

"Hey mister professional assassin, in case you forgot the front door-" She quickly stopped herself from making any sort of quip as she realized Lucien had found a small entrance behind the building. "Do you think he's in there?"

"If he is not, we will have to wait. Nightfall is approaching and he must sleep eventually," Lucien pried the doors open, a gust of snowy air blew into the cellar. The two had climbed down to hear faint snoring and a light shining through the dim cellar.

Carciniea poked her head through the wide entrance of the room, grinning at the slumbering Orc just right across from her. She tiptoed her way inside, craning her neck as she slipped one hand into his back pocket. After some fishing around she pulled a piece of parchment with the seal broken on it, the words Writ of Passage were written across it. She stashed it away, taking a seat in the opposite corner as she noticed a lute sitting idly by itself.

She grabbed it, holding it in an awkward position on her lap as she attempted to tune it. With one long stroke of the strings, she managed to scare the Orc awake with the terrible along with breaking a string or two. He was wide-eyed, scared at the sight of Carciniea; he went as far as to inch away from her, halfway off the bed.

"Sorry about that," Carciniea laughed nervously, "First time even holding the ol' thing. Was never much of a musical person."

"Surely you must be lost-"

"Have you heard of the Gourmet?" She quickly cut him off, "Everyone has, he's a big hit! I'm fact, I even heard he was an Orc. But that's crazy talk. I mean, for a guy who conceals his true identity he can't be a good guy, right?" She adjusted the strings some, preoccupying herself, "Oh, soon the Emperor will fall. Murdered, by the Gourmet."

"What? The Emperor? But I..." The Orc's eyes widened even more with disbelief, immediately hopping off the bed, "Oh, by the gods! No, no you can't do this!"

Halfway out the room, Carciniea bashed and knocked him to the ground with the lute, breaking it in half. "Never was a musical person," she threw the broken instrument over her shoulder, a loud crash following. She picked up the body under the arms, dragging it behind a pile of hay stacks conveniently placed right across from the room.

She dropped him out of sight, leaning against the haystack herself to try and catch her breath. She heard the echo of a door opening, quickly dropping next to the dead Orc to remain out of sight.

"Sir? Are you alright in there? We heard a crash," she heard the innkeeper speak, shuffling his feet at the threshold of the door, "Do you... Need me to come down there?"

"Uh," she coughed, deepening her voice to try an imitate an Orc's, "No need, I'm merely... Looking at the ground."

"Is that really the best you can come up with?" Lucien leaned against the hay, arching a brow.

She mouthed to him to quiet down immediately, slowly inching away from the hay back to the ladder she had previously crept from. As she left the cellar she could hear the innkeeper beckon to what was the Gourmet. She silently closed the doors shut and sat back in the cold snow, letting out a groan. "That was close," she said to herself.

"Too close," Lucien traveled behind her, his eyes burning with anger, "Has it crossed your mind that perhaps your arrogance is going to lead you to failure?"

Carciniea only laughed in response, falling on her back. She laid spread eagle across the snow, looking up to the cloudy sky through the transparent Lachance. He folded his arms, withholding stern expression. "What is so funny?" He asked.

"You're cute when you're angry," she grinned, letting another chuckle, "Have I ever told you that?"

He tried to hide the small smile that began to grow on his face, instantly wiping it away as he managed to tear his eyes away. "We need to leave, find somewhere to sleep for the night. I have a feeling you must be tired."

She shook her head, rubbing her eyes. "I am not-" She paused to let out a yawn, "... Okay, just a little. But it can wait."

"No," he protested, looking yonder. "Down the trail in front of the inn there is a half frozen lake. There's a small cavern where you can rest for the night, as sleeping here would not be a good idea."

"Understandable," she picked herself, stretching.

She went around the small inn, grabbing Shadowmere by the reins and walked the horse down the dirt trail. Lucien lead them around the edge of the cold lake, showing them to a dark cave with some pipes leading out.

Carciniea made a face at his choice of location, but did not question it. She trusted Lucien to lead her to safety, so she need no ask. She dismounted Shadowmere in the shadows, petting his long mane before bidding him good night.

The cave inside was just as cold as the outside world as there was a large opening in the ceiling that allowed the cold air to enter. Some of the metallic pipes let out warm steam from any of their small crevices, few drops of warm watering seeping through as well.

She huddled up against the warm pipes, Lucien seating himself beside her. He took her hands into his, the air around suddenly warming her. She didn't say anything about this, but instead take solace in his companionship. Whether or not he was there on his own initiative may not have been her business, but she wasn't so curious about that.

"Lucien?" She smiled at the mention of his name. He turned his head to her to single the attention he now presented her. "Tell me about the Void. Did I like it any? Is it anything that it sounds like? Or as depressing?"

Lucien was silent for a long moment, his face turning forwards and laid back his head. His hood had slipped off a bit, revealing all of his head instead of a portion of his face. The ends of his lips began to stretch, as if he was suppressing a smile. "You enjoyed your time in the arms of the Dread Lord's. There was never a dull moment with you, even before you passed on. I don't recall a time other than that that I have ever seen you smile so much." His tone was soothing, but something passed through his mind that hardened his expression as he forced a detached tone, "But that is behind us."

She didn't say anything in return, only rewinding back to his earlier words and how graceful they were expressed on his tongue. She held such emotion and admiration in her gaze that when he looked back to her his hard expression cracked. He extended an arm, cupping a cheek with one hand. The sad smile he always wore when he thought she wasn't looking broke through as he stroked her cheek with her thumb. "Go to sleep, Carciniea," he said rather softly, "A new day awaits, along with a new destiny."

She nodded in return, curling up once more to the old pipe that emitted such heat. She shut her eyes tightly, throwing herself into the dream world.

Down southwest, in the Falkreath hold, the trio had returned to the dark pit of the Dark Brotherhood sanctuary. Shadowmere was dismounted near the black pool it had been found in, taking a rest on the soft, dark dirt below it.

Carciniea had entered the old underground sanctuary, tiptoeing her way through so she wouldn't grab the attention of the other assassins. She had crept into the one of the smaller rooms, leaning against a wall next to the arcane enchanter to which Festus Krex as using.

He turned to her, smiling with a twinkle in his eyes. "Ah, the prodigal murderer has returned. And the Gourmet is, I presume-"

"Dead," she deadpanned with a lazy shrug of the shoulders.

He turned his attention back to the little ring in his hands that he was preoccupied enchanting. "I thought as much. It seems a certain Orc has gone missing, which I'm gathering you hid the body too. And you have the Writ of Passage?" He noticed she had pulled something, giving a quick glance in her direction to see she held the write of passage. "Splendid, splendid..."

"Like you said, I am the prodigal assassin around here," she snickered.

Festus' face churned to one of displeasure, muttering something to himself. "Hmph. Maybe I was wrong about you. Here's your payment and a little gift to go with that ego of yours," he tossed her a small coin purse along with the newly enchanted ring, both of which she catched, "I'm sure it'll love it. Now, you'd better go on and see Astrid. It's time to for the final stage of this grand and glorious operation!"

"Shadow hide you, friend," she smiled, leaving both items on a lonely table on the way out. She sighed with anticipation, practically swooning on her way out. "Oh Lucien," she whispered to her invisible companion, "In no time this stupid emperor business will be over and I can finally go home!"

"Do not be so rash, my Listener," he answered, though his usual transparent self was hidden from her eyes. "You have always been so rambunctious."

Carciniea ignored this, skipping onto into Astrid's wide room. She slid a hand around the Nord woman's waist, dragging behind on her table and sitting opposite of her in a large throne chair. She threw one leg around one of the arm rests, her head falling back with a teasing smile. "Rumor has it the emperor's got himself a one-way ticket to the Void," she laughed.

"So you killed the Gourmet," Astrid leaned her arms on the table, bending far over. The girls exchanged sinister grins, "And now Titus Mede is as good as dead."

"So we're really going to assassinate the emperor?" Carciniea shot both of her arms straight in the air, stretching her legs as well. "Finally!"

"Oh yes. And of course, you deserve the honor."

Something about Astrid's tone gave her a sense of security, as though the wall that was so thoroughly built between her and the rest of the remaining Brotherhood was finally crumpling apart. Astrid made her feel like the young lass she was when she had first joined a few centuries ago.

"I don't plan to disappoint. But when do I ever?" Carciniea managed a chuckle out of her superior, Astrid making her way around the table and sat herself on it.

"I have the utmost faith in your success, believe me," she placed a hand on the Breton's, "Now let's begin. Go to Castle Dour in Solitude and present the Writ of Passage to Commander Maro. You remember him, no? You will then be given unrestricted access to the kitchen and the emperor himself. Poisoning him should go off without a hitch."

"Any recommendations?" Carciniea arched a brow.

"Here, take this- It's called Jarrin Root." Astrid slipped her the small root, "All it takes is one small drop and the effects are immediate. The emperor will be serving Sithis before he even knows he's dead. Once he lies dead, escape through the upstairs and through the bridge. I've done some arranging so that it will be unguarded once the alarms go off. Now go, go and fulfill your precious destiny as Listener."

Carciniea slipped the Jarrin Root into her pocket, leaving Astrid to whatever other plots she had going on. She felt her belly begin to rumble, but she could her the echoing of everyone's laughing and shouting tracing back to the kitchen. Instead she retreated back to the recesses of her new, lonely little room that separated her from everyone else.

She heard footsteps follow behind her own as she went to her new bedroom. She threw her bag carelessly on the floor, not bothering to look back. She leapt onto her bed, landing on her back and addressing her quiet visitor, "Oh! Hey there!"

Veezara placed a hand on the wall, pushing his weight on it. "Not hungry?" He asked, referring to her absence in dinner. "You've seemed distant. Everyone is concerned."

She chewed her tongue for a moment. She's be distancing herself from the others, yes, but for reasons she herself wasn't very sure of. "I didn't notice, I'm sorry," she lied, "I've just been so tired. It's not anyone's fault here- And I can really say that, since me and Astrid have getting along splendidly!" She pushed herself up, letting out a small grunt, "Here, how about when I'm back from my next target you and me can go off and have a small night together in the town nearby? It'll be my way of apologizing."

The Shadowscale smiled in appreciation at this kind offer, "I'll have my things together the second you return. I also have heard of your new target, as well. I must say that's a pretty big hit you're going for."

She shrugged it off, laying back with her arms folded behind her head, "Nothing I can't handle. I may not have taken down an emperor, but there's a first time for everything."

Her friend's face fell some as well as his gaze, turning to leave, "Get some rest. You'll need it."

Lucien reappeared once Veezara was out of earshot, sitting back on the table. Carciniea made a face at her friend's last few words, groaning as she threw a pillow. "What do you think that's suppose to mean?" She asked, looking up to the stone ceiling.

"I am not the only one who has seen what your arrogance is turning you into," he explained, watching her carefully.

"I'm so sorry feeling a little proud of my skill is such a rain on everyone's parade," she rolled onto her stomach, facing away from Lucien. "Not my problem."

Lucien waited for her to calm down, slowly and ever so quietly left his seat. With each step he enclosed the small gap between them. He stood over her, watching as she breathed deeply. He was almost certain she was halfway asleep, the one thing he awaited for each long day. He stroked her cold cheek with his hand, sighing, "You will realize what I mean soon enough."

The words had sunken and echoed in her mind, but by the time she opened her eyes to catch one more glimpse of Lucien he had disappeared back into the recesses of the Void. She craned her neck to reassure that she was alone, to which unfortunately she realized she was.

Carciniea had awoken around dawn the following morning, not bothering to wait for her spectral friend. She gathered what she felt was necessary, though she had checked and rechecked everything she had she still had the strange feeling there was something important she was forgetting. She shrugged it off finally after looking through her things for the sixth time, telling herself that she would remember later.

Before finally exiting the sanctuary, she stopped in the middle of the main room, looking into Astrid's room. The candles barely lit the room, granting her the chance to barely make out Astrid's slender figure along with Arnbjorn's bulkier one. She could see half of her superior laid on top of her husband, one leg over his own. Arnbjorn's snoring rang out of the room, echoing back to the Listener.

Carciniea sighed at the sight, absent-mindedly whispering aloud, "One day that'll be me..."

She shook her head, for once glad Lucien wasn't around to hear her. She left the sanctuary, her mind fully awakening at the feeling of chilly air around her. The ground was covered in a thin coat of fog, swirling around as she walked to Shadowmere. She mounted the ancient horse, setting off to ride north to Solitude.

The ride was slow and lonely, keeping to herself when the occasional fellow traveler followed down the roads in the opposite direction. Lucien hadn't dared show himself since the night before, but she didn't completely mind. The silence was lonely, but it gave her time to think.

By noon, the assassin could finally see the signature windmills that belonged to the province's capital. The air was still slightly chilly but that was just being part of Skyrim, as it seemed. A piece of her wished she had a chance to learn more about this place in her youth. It would had probably proved to be quite handy.

She dismounted the horse near a stable, walking the rest of the way up the road to the large city. Inside, she was glad to see there was no crowd surrounding a dead commander or anything that was unusual for the city. But she reminded herself that she wasn't here for sightseeing, but on a mission she would like to be over with quickly.

She headed up to the Castle Dour, noticing agents that surrounded the premises. Her walking slowed as she held gazes with a few of them, narrowing their eyes at one another.

"In our time, my Listener, the Blades protected the Emperor," she heard Lucien chuckled, "It would seem these Penitus Oculatus will prove equally incompetent."

Carciniea didn't respond to this, only look in his direction. She looked displeased with him, turning her attention back to the area around her to search for Commander Maro. She could practically hear the wide grin as Lucien said: "It is hard to not find you so admiring when you become so... Mature, in times like this."

This had surely caught her off guard; she had to play it back in her mind a few times to completely grasp what exactly had he said. Her eyes widened with surprise at these words, when she turned back to him he looked the other way, a smirk pressed upon his face. She smiled in return, feeling an old familiar burning in her cheeks.

She straightened her back, once again snapping back into focus. She barely recognized Commander Maro, who stood in front of the doors to the emperor's tower. She approached him, Maro keeping a flat face and a threatening tone as he held up a hand to halt her, "Stop right there. The tower is off limits until further notice."

She fumbled in her pocket, unfolding and presenting her the writ of passage she previously stole from the Gourmet's body.

"What's this now?" He held it to his face, reading bits of it aloud, "Order of eminence... The "Gourmet"... By Azura, the Gourmet! I... I'm sorry! I didn't know! We weren't sure who to expect, you see. You're not dressed as I would have expected... But don't let me keep you! Proceed to the kitchens right away. Gianna, our head chef, has eagerly awaited your arrival."

Maro stepped aside, granting her entry into the tower. She followed the sound of pots and pans clanking together along with a certain aroma that wafted through the air once inside. It brought her to none other than the kitchens, where a Redguard cook sighed at the sight of Carciniea, "Not another delivery-"

"Oh, no," She raised a hand, arching a brow with a prideful grin, "You misunderstand for I am... The Gourmet!"

The woman, who she assumed was Gianna, looked from annoyed to stunned in a plot second. "The... Gourmet? Oh! Finally! When I heard the Gourmet was going to cook for the Emperor I could hardly believe it. It's just..."

"Yes?"

"I just didn't think a Breton of all things would be the Gourmet! I just-"

Carciniea clapped her hands together, combing with her booming voice, "Silence! I am ready to prepare the grand feast!"

"Oh. Well, uh, actually..." Gianna grimaced and slowly shied away out of fear, continuing, "You're not. Wearing a chef's hat, I mean. There's one right over there if you need one. You can't very well cook one without it..."

"I knew this! I was testing you," She scoffed, momentarily leaving to grab the chef's hat. She struggled to put it on without messing up her ponytail, sticking out her tongue. She finally managed to tuck it over, smiling in satisfaction.

"Oh, look at you," the Redguard clasped her hands together, smiling, "Brilliant. Just absolutely brilliant. Now you look just how I imagined you!"

"Enough! I am to cook, not make friends. Let us begin!" She clapped once more to grab the attention of the only other person in the room.

"Oh! But of course, yes. Ahem. The Emperor has requested your signature dish- the Potage le Magnefique. I've taken the liberty of getting it started. But the cookbook says but so much and everyone makes the Potage in different ways. I would be honored if we could make it... the Gourmet's special way. We could get started right now. So... What ingredient should I add next?"

Carciniea stared blankly to the chef across from her. She was trying to process everything she had just said, only to draw blanks in response. Lucien had quietly made his way behind the chef, the somewhat odd, yet vaguely familiar smile still stood broad from cheek to cheek. Me and you have a few things to discuss, mister she told him in her mind, his comment outside the Dour rang once more.

"Ah, I get it," Gianna smirked, instantly grabbing back the Listener's attention, "This is some kind of test, right? To see how well I know the Potage le Magnefique? Then in that case I think a pinch of frost salts should be in order. What would be next?"

"Uh..." She shrugged, "Throw in some vampire dust?"

"Vampire dust? Seriously? I guess I can see how it would give it a more earthy texture... And oddly enough, we happen to have some on hand... Alright. What's next, then?"

She looked from the broad range of ingredients the large kitchen had. Her eyes hit the salmon, slowly dropping down to the different cheeses for some kind of idea of what the recipe could need. "Now add... A giant's toe!"

"Uh... You sure about that?"

"I said giant's toe!" Carciniea stomped her foot, "Do not question the grand Gourmet!"

"Of course! I... I'm sorry. There. What, um... What's next?"

The assassin puffed out her chest, poking her nose in the air as she said in the most casual voice: "And now, a septim my lady."

"A... Septim? As in a gold coin? Alright then..." She took a coin out of her coin, flipping into the stew before stirring it all into one, "I have to say the stew seems about done. What do you think? Is there anything else it could need?"

Carciniea began to shake her head in response, before remembering at the last second of the small little branch that sat in her pocket, "Oh! Yes, yes. There is one final ingredient. Here, add this." She pulled out the Jarrin root, handing it to Gianna to mix in.

"Are you sure? The stew seems perfect as it-" She stopped herself as she saw the look the "Gourmet" was starting to send her, "Yes, yes, you're right..." She took the branch reluctantly, throwing it into the pot and blending it all in. "Ah, there we go. I must say it has been quite an honor preparing this with you. I'll carry the stew pot and carry it up the stairs, you stay close. The dining room is just upstairs."

She ended up following Gianna like she had instructed, looking around at the decoration. She felt herself to become anxious, knowing in just a few moments her mission would be over and she could finally return to the Void- Her home. Her hands fidgeted together, often looking back to Lucien and shooting him a nervous smile.

"You are doing so... So brilliant," he assured her, though she thought she detected a sadder undertone, "Just... Keep on, my Listener."

Something about his words made her think twice, as if this wasn't truly the end. She hoped the feeling in her stomach was just a feeling; that these thoughts were just all in her head. She took a deep breath, pressing on and into the dining room.

"Here we are," Gianna began to look flustered, quickly switching her attention back and forth from the door to the Gourmet, "Gods I'm nervous. We'll go in just a moment. Please, I'll serve. You just stand and just... Be amazing."

"I'm quite good at that," Carciniea replied almost absentmindedly.

"Yes, an unfortunate turns of events that," they heard a much older voice, to see a man she presumed to be the Emperor dressed in royal clothes, "But an isolated incident. And I have been assured that the fault was with the man's son alone. Truth is, we are in no danger whatsoever. Killing an emperor can be useful, but befriending one? Now that's beneficial- as I'm sure you'd all agree."

He held an arrogant face, the others' jubilant expression looked almost forced. The Emperor finally looked to the girls, gesturing to them, "Aha! Here we are. Honored guests, I present to you- the Gourmet!"

She bowed in return, smiling broadly. She eagerly watched as the Redguard began serving the Emperor and the noblemen and women. The guards seemed none the wiser, giving her some comfort and a moment to relax. She could feel her impatience begin to eat at her calm composure with each passing second.

"Ah, the Potage le Magnefique. So delicious," he clapped his hands together, sliding them together, "My friends, as Emperor, I of course reserve the right of first taste."

Everyone laughed at this, along with the two chefs, though it was almost undeniable none of them were amused in the slightest. The Emperor waited until the laughter died down, which it quickly did, and take a spoonful of the stew in his mouth. Carciniea was more than ready to leap back into the Void at this point.

"Oh... Oh how marvelous. Just delicious. It is everything I had hoped it to be. It... I... I think something's...wrong... I..." His eyes grew wide, clutching his heart with one chest. Then in a single, slow motion he slumped forward and plunged his face into the bowl.

Before anyone had a chance to register in their heads what had just happened to the Emperor of Tamriel, Carciniea immediately threw her hat off and at Gianna as she jumped on the table and over a nobleman before sprinting out, laughing. It had been so long since she felt herself laugh without a deep heartache, waiting for everything around her to change. But she found herself running down the bridge, with Penitus Oculatus guards pouring out from the base of a windmill.

She caught herself in time, coming to an immediate halt. Her face quickly fell, a piece of her still waiting to be plunged into the depths of the Void. But odds were that time had already passed, if at all. She shook her head in disbelief, as a Commander Maro stepped forward on the upper level of the mill.

"That man was, by far, the most insufferable decoy the Emperor has ever employed. I'm glad he's dead," Maro made a groaning sound, but the sight of the assassin made him smirk, "Ah, but I'm even happier that you killed him. You, am assassin from the Dark Brotherhood, have just made an attempt on the Emperor's life. Would have succeeded, had it been the real man."

Carciniea felt a few tears threaten her eyes, lowering and doing her best to steady her voice in a clear whisper, "Lucien, please, I need you now more than ever. I'm supposed to be back in the Void- I thought I could go home. Please, please I can't take them on my own."

Maro paced to and fro, keeping his eyes locked on the girl. "Surprised? As was I, when a member of your little "Family" came to me with the plan. We worked out a deal, you see. An exchange."

She shut her eyes tightly, as a deep, bitter jab striking at her heart, "Lucien, I know you hear me out there. I don't know where, but I know you do. Please, I want to go home..."

"I get you, and the Dark Brotherhood gets to continue its existence. But you know what? I've changed my mind. How about this? I kill you, and butcher each and every one of your miserable little friends?"

This had managed to get a direct response from the Listener, her face turning to one of anguish and pain, speaking up as she croaked, "Please, take me! Not them, they had nothing to do with anything! I deserve to die- Just leave them alone, send them out of this place, anything!" She paused to wipe a coming tear, reducing her voice to nothing more than a whisper again. "I can't go through this again..."

Maro gave her a smirk now that he had finally gotten a rise from her, "How brave. But it seems your little sanctuary's been put to the sword right now. That's what I think of this "deal". You killed my son! All of you! And now you'll pay the price..." He gave a low laugh, turning his back to her as he began to leave, "Kill her. Make sure there's nothing left to bury."

Right as the guard turned his back, she could hear a sharp cry whose voice she identified to be Lucien's echoed in her ear, "Run!"

She did just as she was told; she zoomed past the agents, knocking one off the bridge. A few of the city guards attempted to stop her, but she only ran past them and out of Solitude. She could feel herself become drained of energy, her legs more than ready to give out. She had ran down the rocky trail, not very sure where exactly she should go. In fact, she wasn't really thinking at all; it wasn't until she was at the peak of the stone bridge that was placed right above the East Empire Company.

She had gotten hit with an arrow coming from somewhere above, managing to knock her off the edge and into the deep waters below. The impact was enough to knock some breath out of her and for a long stretching moment everything felt motionless. She thought of letting her sink down into a watery grave, to just let out go and not fight back. Maybe that's what she needed? To bring herself to her to own demise?

She could feel her chest becoming burdened with a heavy weight, her throat growing dry. She was beginning to suffocate in the murky depths; her vision growing hazy. A light began to show in the far, watery distance. A bright, pale blue light that brightened the dark water around her. Carciniea closed her eyes, choking out the last bit of oxygen she held in her lungs. She closed her eyes as she awaited death.

It wasn't long before the weight was finally lifted off of her chest and she could breathe once more. She had opened her eyes to nothing- A void of nothing around her, along with a foggy memory. As far as she could tell she was alone, but the old, wheezing sound rang out: "The time is not now."

She felt herself sit right up, wide-eyed and back in the world of Nirn. Across the wide set of water laid Solitude, faint echoes of yelling wafted through the air.

"You almost died," she heard Lucien tell her, a hand sliding onto her shoulder, "You were fortunate I was there to save you."

Carciniea's throat remained hot and dry, her chest heaving as her emotions crashed down on her. She let out a pained howl, feeling her face turn red. "I should have died!" She screamed, watching as the sun began to inch closer and closer to the horizon, "I want to! I... I can't do this anymore, I'm not strong enough!"

She felt Lucien pull her around to face him, his face serious and sullen. "You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it," he soothed her, "The Dread Lord knew this, this is why he sent you here. Because you held a special place in his being."

She slowly shook her head. Her tears burned her cheeks just as the wound the arrow had caused ached her side. "We are b-betrayed once more," she stammered, her hands shaking uncontrollably, "I can't go through another purification. I can't- I can't do this without you."

Lucien gripped her hand, "I will not leave. Not as long as you need me here."

Carciniea's eyes were steadily locked on him, despite how violent the rest of her body shook. She licked her lips, clearing her throat. He watched as she began to smile, chuckling to herself. "I completely forgot about Shadowmere," she told him, "By the time I get there I'm lucky if there'll be any trace of them left. Who knows, if I'm lucky enough some bandit will have the chance of killing me."

"Hopefully if will not come to that if you get a head start," he retorted, loosening his grip and stood to begin the small trek to the Falkreath hold. He looked over his shoulder after a few steps, "Coming?"

She nodded in return, doing her best to compose what wired emotions she had left. Her nerves were shot by this twist of events and a piece of her was still in denial that she still lingered in the physical world. She shook all of this off, dragging herself behind Lucien. She looked up to the sky that was beginning to turn pinkish. "I want to go home," she whispered to the dim stars that were beginning to poke out.


	12. Reunion

In the early birth of night, where only the creatures of night come out to hunt, there was a disturbance. A young Listener managed to steel away a horse from a carriage, traveling as swift as the animal could go down south, in the deepest part of the pine forest.

She had came to an abrupt stop just a little ways off the rocky path, noticing many fellow carriages stopped along the road. She could see spots of torchlight give away the position of about three agents. She hid beneath a rock that was barely big enough to hide her, giving her a chance to sneak up to the soldiers. There was one that was the closest and alone as well as without a torch. It was as if he was /wanting/ to be sent to the Void.

In one swift movement she covered the man's mouth, dragging him to the darker recesses of the forest. She twisted his neck in a quick motion, three popping sounds were made before a distinct cracking sound and the man fell dead. She threw him behind the rock, looking back over to get a visual on the others.

There was now only one with his back turned toward her. She could've sworn there was another, that there had been three of them...

Her instincts caught the better of her, grabbing her dagger and slicing it blindly behind her. She turned to see another Penitus Oculatus agent, trying to hold his guts inside of his wide belly. She made a small grunting sound as she kicked her foot into one of his knees, causing his leg to lock and make him topple over.

She leapt over the rock, coming into perfect view for her last opponent. He drew his sword as he held the torch high enough to get a clearer view of the two of them. He began to charge at her as did she; he held his sword up to strike, but she managed to kick her feet up and knock him back a few feet.

The torch was knocked out and rolled a few feet away. The assassin picked herself up quickly, stomping her foot on the agent's hand which was previously groping for his fallen sword. She crushed it under his hand, the man letting out a howl. She lifted her foot up, kicking him hard in the face. He rolled off, coughing out half a mouth full of blood. He let out a string of swears as he began to drag himself away. She picked up his sword, following after him before finally digging the sword into his brain.

She let out a sigh, knocking some of her bangs out her face. She went down the dirt path that lead to the Black Door that surprisingly remained closed, the first thing she noticed was Festus Krex pinned to a tree by countless arrows. She shook her head to this, fearing she was too late.

Not a few footsteps in she could hear faint voices conversing, crouching and hiding just around the corner in hopes of learning of the traitor.

"Which one was the rat?" A slightly younger voice asked, footsteps echoing slightly louder which made it that much harder to listen.

"Dunno. One of the corpses. Does it matter?" The second voice retorted.

"Suppose not. But what's taking the others so long? The sooner we get out of here, the better. Smoke's getting bad. This place'll be raging soon." The first voice began to sound worried, almost scared.

"Arcturus took some men deeper in, wanted to be sure. We should maybe... Assist them."

"No," she said to herself in protest, her eyes widening with fear for the others.

"What was that?" One of them asked, the sound of swords being drawn followed after.

She groaned, sliding up the wall as she felt her nerves ready to break in half. Once one of them were close enough, she managed to swing a punch and knock them down the stairs before hiding back around the corner. An arrow flew by, barely missing her and was struck into the wall.

She gripped her dagger, turning around the corner once more to throw it at the archer. He managed to land an iron arrow in her arm, but she managed to even the score. The ebony dagger was struck in the archer's stomach, having him kneel over in pain. He looked up to see her sprinting toward him, pulling her leg up in the air and kicking him right under the chin with full force.

She took a moment to catch her moment, stretching her back. "I still got it," she chuckled to herself, "Two hundred years and I still got my touch..."

She noticed something out of the corner of her eye, she snapped her neck to see a scaly body. She felt a bittersweet tinge in her stomach, as if someone had just stabbed her right in the abdomen. She found her closest friend in the sanctuary, Veezara, laid in a pool of blood and stripped down.

She kept in the deep sadness that flooded her, no longer feeling the need to cry anymore. She wasn't even sure if she could cry at this point.

She leant down and touched his cheek, which was faintly warm. He was already gone, gone to his family in the Void. Her hand fell down to his bare chest, whispering to the dead Argonian, "I guess our little date will have to wait. You're with your fellow Shadowscales, now." She leant down to kiss his cheek, before moving deeper into the sanctuary.

The smoke quickly became more and more dense the more she ventured in, hearing the sound of groaning and howling. She quickly rushed through, keeping an arm covering her nose from the smoke that filled the room. She could feel herself beginning to sweat from the amounting fire.

She could barely make out a beast within the fire, surrounded by half a dozen Penitus agents. Before she had time to help the humanoid wolf, an archer managed to strike an arrow into the heart of the beast, causing it to fall limp to its knees.

She took this chance while they temporarily held their guards down, tackling one to the ground and kicking another into the fire. The number had luckily quickly dwindled thanks to the large beast, leaving only three for her.

She did away with them almost as easy as her earlier opponents, two of them tossed into the fire to perish while their brother met his fate with a broken neck. She hurried through what was left of the sanctuary, passing by Gabriella and a few others through her fiery search for her friends. Or, more accurately, what was left of them.

In the dining room, everything was tarnished to the last decoration. Laid dead were several Penitus Oculatus agents, the sound of metal clashing against metal cut through the fire. She could hear grunting, following with a voice she identified to belong to Nazir: "If I am to die today, so be it. But you'll soon not forget the Dark Brotherhood."

"Nazir!" She hollered, leaping up the stirs and climbing her way up to help her friend.

By the time she managed to climb to the upper level, Nazir was kneeling on one knee. He struggled to breath, letting out a nasty cough in his moment of weakness. The agent raised his long blade over his head, Carciniea taking her dagger and pushing it through the base of his neck. She reeled it back, knocking him to his side. When Nazir finally looked up it was a bloodied Carciniea, holding a hand out to help him up.

"So you're alive. I was starting to wonder," he smirked, taking her hand and lifted himself to both feet.

Her face quickly turned from relived to worried, quickly snatching her hand back as she shook her head, "The Emperor, the whole ordeal... It was all a trap. Someone set us up."

"Considering most of us are dead, I assumed such," he saw how reluctant she seemed, quickly speaking up as she opened her mouth, "And before you ask- No, I didn't think it was you. Well, maybe I did, but you saving my sorry hide just now erased any doubts. So thanks."

The sanctuary began to shake, a few rocks from the ceiling fell and crushed the table beneath them. Both of their expressions turned to one of horror, Carciniea grabbing her Redguard friend by the shoulder. "We need to get out of here!" She exclaimed.

"You've got that right. It's only a matter of time before we're all roasted. Come on!" He nodded to the nearby corridor, the two heading down to find a blockage.

They ran into the Night Mother's room, where the room felt strangely cold. Everything seemed to become distant, as if she was taking off glasses and saw how far everything really was. Her legs began to become numb, her head light; soon the running just became trudging as she tried to keep up with Nazir.

_Child, I am your only salvation just as you are mine. Come. Embrace your mother, give me what I need._

Oh, how the ghostly whisper the body that laid protected sent chills up her spine. She stared at the sarcophagus and how it opened itself, the Night Mother's arms were positioned wide open like an embracing mother. She felt her stomach churn, an aching pain beginning to emerge but she did not react.

"Dammit, there's got to be a way out of here!" She heard Nazir swear to the other door, seeing as they were practically trapped.

But not Carciniea. No, not all children who are hateful are not necessarily hated in return. Not with the unconditional love of a mother. She could feel vision slightly waver, almost tumbling over. She wondered if her mind was beginning to cave on her or if what she was seeing was true. Her arms wrapped around the rotting corpse, the doors slamming shut behind her.

_Sleep, my child..._

She closed her eyes, feeling the strange coldness overtake her. Everything soon fell into silence, the deafening sound that was there when the world was first made. She could her an old sound she heard before: The faint sound of joints clicking together. Something about this managed to sooth her to her surprise, she found herself beginning to drift to sleep.

Everything became dark, in her mind and everything around her. Time began to quicken, feeling as if a few seconds had left before she felt her senses come back to her slowly. There was panting outside of the coffin along with a young, additional voice springing up in hate: "Hurry, Nazir! I know she's in there!"

_Babette? You're alive?_

"I'm going... As fast... As I can, you stupid she-devil," Nazir snapped, letting out an echoing grunt, "I don't see you... Helping..."

Carciniea finally managed to open her eyes, feeling the weight of the coffin beginning to tilt. Her reaction time to everything was still slow, but she could still register everything perfectly.

"I'm not exactly built for manual labor. Now come on, you've almost got it."

"One more... Pull..." Nazir let out a roar, a giant tossing motion threw her against the doors and finally out of the Night Mother's grasp. She let out a small groan, feeling her temples beginning to throb.

Babette let out a gasp of surprise, the tone in her voice sounded almost excited, "I think I just heard her! Can you get it open?"

"I think so. Just hold on a moment..."

There was a bright crease between the doors of the coffin, causing her to squint her eyes. Right before the doors managed to fling open, the old, creaking voice that put the hairs on her neck on edge spoke out to her. She could almost feel the cold breath on her neck.

_You must speak with Astrid. Here, in the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary._

She fell out right as the doors opened up to her, Nazir managing to catch her right before she hit the floor, "Woah, woah, woah, slow down there. It's alright. You've been through a lot. Just take a moment and sit down."

It took Carciniea a moment to catch her bearings, give her vision time to adjust from the darkness she managed to crawl way from. The words from the Night Mother echoed through her mind, her hand clutching onto Nazir's garbs, "I need to... Speak with... Astrid. She's somewhere in the Sanctuary. Follow me!"

Her comrades grew excited at the mention of Astrid being alive, Nazir helping her onto her feet, "She's here? By Sithis, I thought we'd lost her. Let's go!"

The three ran through the sanctuary, Carciniea screaming Astrid's name for a response. She felt scared, worried for her friend. They checked through every crack and crevice of what was left of the sanctuary, before finally deciding to go into Astrid' room. Carciniea and Nazir only stepped in to poke their heads but Babette was the one to exclaim, "Astrid's here! I found her!"

Carciniea, shortly followed by Nazir, darted back into the room, seeing her wardrobe was to the side and laid a big whole in the wall. She took a few steps inside, seeing an incredibly charred body that laid spread out on the floor.

"Alive..." The voice croaked, its breathing was loud and raspy, You're alive... Thank Sithis."

She cringed at the sight, but more so of who she was looking at: "Oh- Oh, Astrid..."

She took a few more steps, dropping to her knees by her side. Astrid looked so terribly hurt, as if she was trying not to break out in sobs from the way her body hurt. She drew a finger up to the Listener's lips, her own lips parting to let out an audible gulp of breath. Carciniea could see a tear form from the corner of her eye, "Ssshh... Please... There is so much I have to say... So little time... I'm sorry. So very sorry. The Penitus Oculatus... Maro..."

The Breton's face was quickly drained of sympathy and was quickly replaced with the dead feeling she knew before. She denied the rest Astrid managed to cough out, her head only shaking. It was all unbelievable, but what hit the last straw was the beautifully crafted metal that shone in the candlelight. It was familiar blade that glimmered brightly in the room. She picked it up without another thought of Astrid, it was as if time had stopped itself once more.

Her face quickly grew into something else entirely, her face was quiet and serious but it was her eyes that held malice. Her attention came back into focus on Astrid's small speech, managing to catch the last part of it.

"... He said by giving you up, he'd leave the Dark Brotherhood alone. Forever. By Sithis, I was such a fool. This is all my fault... You were the best of us, and now almost everyone has paid for my actions." When Astrid saw the confusion in both Nazir and Babette's eyes along with the boiling anger in Carciniea's, she finally managed to break and let out a wail, "Don't you see? It was me! I set you up. I betrayed you, betrayed the Night Mother. It was all me!"

Carciniea turned halfway around to her friends, she kept her eyes to the ground as she managed the most cordial tone she could confer, "Guys, could we have a moment?"

Her friends left without another word, their footsteps echoing as they went down to recheck if there were anymore survivors. She turned back to Astrid who was still crying, almost hysterical.

"Don't you see?" She began to raise her voice, "I did this for change! I am the Black Sacrament!"

Carciniea threw one leg around her former leader, climbing on top of her. She hushed her, to keep her quiet for just a little longer. In truth she was ready to do the same thing, but the time for crying was long over.

"No, no. You, my dear, you are something so less than you are not worth the dirt on my boots. You are just a little girl who doesn't like not having her way. But don't you see, darling? You can't change the Old Ways, the Old Ways only change you. And you have not changed for the better." She leaned in closer, the new dagger gliding across her extremely burned chest, "What you may not know about this particular blade, is that it has spilt the blood of traitors before." By now their lips were practically touching and for a split moment she even thought of kissing the poor girl's pain away, "I pity you, Astrid. I do so with all my heart."

Astrid began to talk, instead let out a terrible gasp as the blade, the Blade of Woe, was plunged deep into her chest. She coughed up some blood, letting out one last murmur before her eyes finally glazed over and she passed on into the Void.

The Listener snatched the blade out, wiping the glimmering crimson off with her armor. She held the old blade in her hands, genuinely smiling to see the dagger. Neither of them held the same appearance they once did when they first met, but the glowing V that was still engraved into the metal still faintly shown after all this time.

"My dear friend," she solemnly whispered, "How times have changed. You and I may have grown apart and disappeared from this world at one point or another, yet with but it's like we have not changed at all."

She held it higher, observing her own reflection in the dagger. "Do you know the history of this dagger, Astrid?"

The body laid silent in return, though it was questionable if Carciniea was even paying attention to anything but the blade.

She snatched off one of her gloves and drew the sharp end across her palm, sighing with excitement to see it draw blood, "I held it the first time it ripped through flesh, the first time innocent blood was spilt on it. Even now, I have managed to wipe away one more traitor with it," she clenched the blade in her hand, feeling her smile began to droop and twist into something more melancholic, "Oh, how long ago that was..."

She looked down to see what she was doing, snapping back into sanity. She didn't react much to see the blood that quickly escaped from the cut on her hand, only slipping the blade away. She placed the glove back on and left to bring the news to her friends.

"How could Astrid have done this to us?" Babette sniffed, looking down at what was left of Astrid, "Strangely, I feel only pity for her."

Carciniea looked to the body with no traces of emotion, only sliding a comforting hand on the little girl's shoulder, "Do not pity the damned, Babette, some things are better left forgotten."

Nazir had his shoulders folded, though there was no use hiding the fact that the news did bring him some sadness. "Astrid... By the sands, I still can't wrap my head around it..." He shook his head, giving his former leader some respect and turned his head away.

She had nothing more to say to either of them, giving Babette a squeeze on the shoulder before leaving them to make their peace. She left to see where Nazir dragged the coffin off to, finding it not too far from the pool standing straight up. The doors stood wide open, just as she left them.

_Astrid is dead. It is as it should be. May she find redemption in the Void._

She scoffed at the words, "Funny, I don't recall you being so sympathetic towards Bellamont. It is kind of your-"

"Listener," Lucien spoke up for the first time since her she fled Solitude, "Hold your tongue."

Carciniea instinctively straightened her back at the sound of Lucien's voice, only shooting him a glare in return.

_While you live, the Dark Brotherhood lives. We must fulfill out contract. Emperor Titus Mede ll must be eliminated. Speak with Amaund Motierre at the Bannered Mare in Whiterun. He will know the true Emperor's location. But first, inform Nazir of your plans. For you are the current Listener, and must bring my family together._

"Oh, that- That is a load of-" She cut herself off, kicking her boot into the ground. "Of course. Fine. Even though this guy probably had this whole thing set up in the first place, fine. Damned old hag..."

She slammed the doors shut, sitting against it. She rubbed her face, trying to calm herself down. "This is a load of shit..." She finally finished her previous sentence, sighing.

She heard a terrible wail, Nazir slumping his shoulders as he came back into the earthy quarters. He looked at the carnage and grimaced. "By Sithis, what a mess. I guess this is the end," he made a disgusted groan, kicking away some charred rubble.

"Not exactly," she scratched the back of her head nervously, nodding back to the coffin behind her, "Turns out our lady over there decided to speak to me again."

This seemed to catch him off guard, looking back at her with a quizzical expression, "What? Well- What did she say?"

"She wants me to contact our client again."

"Amaund Motierre? But that would mean..."

"You guessed it, the contact's still on. We still have an Emperor to be assassinated."

"You mean... There's still a chance? But how? Everyone is dead, everything's ruined, the Family..."

She pushed herself up to her feet, walking to him and gently grabbed his forearm, "Nazir, in my experience, I know our Family will live on. You need to trust me."

He seemed reluctant at first, but soon he eased in her grasp, "Hmph. Alright, then. Go, my Listener. Go see what that slimeball Motierre wants, and send the Emperor to Sithis." She began to leave, Nazir clearing his voice and spoke up, "But, when you're done, I don't suppose there's any use of staying here, is there? I was thinking about moving to the Dawnstar sanctuary, make a proper home out of that."

She nearly tripped and fell over on nothing, the news making her eyes grow, "Uh, I don't think that's-"

"I'll find a way to move the Night Mother. Don't worry, go!" He smiled and waved, turning back and hollering, "Babette my girl, pack up your things! We're moving to Dawnstar!"

Carciniea could feel herself internally cringe at the mention of this, letting out a loud, echoing yell the second she closed the Black Door behind her. It had gotten to the point Lucien had conjured himself and plugged his ghostly ears, "What has gotten into you?!"

She began to bang her head against the door, "I completely forgot about Cicero and now Nazir wants us to go to Dawnstar!" She paused after the third bang, turning to him, "And where have you been all day?"

"I was doing you a favor," he told her factually, beginning to walk out of the shadows.

She grew rather curious of this, following him and let out a squeal as she found Shadowmere waiting for her. She threw her arms around the horse's neck, stroking its dark mane. "I'm so sorry," she whispered to it, "It was an accident- I just caught up and you know how I get." She turned back to Lucien, feeling the tips of her cheeks burn, "Thank you."

He smiled in return, "Come, the Night Mother's bidding needs to be tended to."


	13. To Kill an Emperor

Amaund Motierre jumped at the sound of his doors opening, prompting him to make n overdramatic sigh, "What is it? I said I didn't wish to... Be disturbed." His eyes widened with shock and fear to whom he was presented with.

The assassin whom he recently contacted in the Dark Brotherhood stood before him, alive and angry. He immediately rose to his feet, feeling his knees began to use beneath him out of fear. She managed to pick him up by the collar, surprised that her petite figure held so much muscle. "Call in your little pet and I'll make sure there will be nothing left of either of you," she threatened him, her eyes ablaze with anger.

He squirmed to break free of her stone grasp, his face turning a bright pink. "I... I didn't know you were alive! I heard... Your sanctuary... Please! You have to believe I have nothing to do with that! I still want him dead! The true Emperor!"

She slammed him against the wall one hard time, Motierre making a grumbling sound under his breath. "The real Emperor," she demanded, "Where is he?"

He stopped his frantic squirming long enough to process what she had just said. He looked to her, arching a brow, "You mean, you are still willing to... Honor my contract?"

"Money's money, Motierre," the assassin smirked.

She set him down, folding her arms. Motierre was astonished by this, grinning widely to his hitman. "Why, this is astounding news! Just wonderful!" Something in his expression changed to something much more devious as leaned in ever so closer, "The Emperor is still in Skyrim, but not for long. He's onboard the ship, the Katariah, oared just off the coast of the Solitude Inlet. You must hurry! If you manage to slay Emperor Titus Mede ll as contracted, I'll give you the location of the drop box."

The assassin hesitated for a moment, narrowing her eyes. "This ship," she spoke slowly, "The Katariah. How will I get onboard?"

"Well, I don't know. It's in the Solitude Inlet- just north of the docks. I suppose you should go to the docks and... Swim?"

She made a face, her shoulders drooping some, "Was never fond of swimming. Do you know where Commander Maro will be?"

He smiled at the mention of Maro, even letting out a chuckle. "I can imagine you'd want to settle that score. Last I heard he was at the Solitude Docks, conducting the Emperor's departure."

She took this information and began to leave without another word. Motierre straightened out his fine clothing, seating himself back in his seat. "I'm surprised you haven't asked about the different types of security," he spoke up as she opened up the doors.

The assassin managed to ease some, looking to with a sick form of excitement in her eyes. "What can I say? I'm a girl who likes to play it on the dangerous side," she winked at him, leaving.

She exited back into the cool air of Whiterun, where little townsfolk walked the streets at this time. Lucien had materialized by her side, barely keeping up with her fast walk.

"Listener, are you sure it is wise to board the Katariah blindly?" He asked her.

"Please Luce, I think I can handle myself just fine," she laughed this off, "Besides, we do have a few things to discuss. Like... Your mixed signals, for instance." She arched a brow at this.

He tried to contain a smile, holding it as a sly smirk. "I am not sending mixed signals-"

She scoffed, "That is possibly the _biggest_ lie you have ever tried to tell me! You are so shifty- Like one moment you'll be this hopeless romantic, then get mad that I do some flirting back."

He turned his head the other way so now she was looking at the back of his head. He dug his hands in his pockets, innocently whistling to try to avoid any more of her words.

She laughed at his denial and shook her head, "You're so annoying sometimes, Luce."

The two passed by a few guards who gave her a few odd looks. She looked back to them, shouting rather loudly, "Don't you guys look at me like I'm crazy!" She sighed, slumping her shoulders as she eyed them some more, "Assholes..."

Lucien watched with some amount of amusement in his eyes, though his smile had almost completely disappeared at this point, "I must say with all that transpired tonight, you are doing rather well."

They arrived at the doors that held the open world just beyond them. She opened one of the doors halfway, sighing to herself, "Trust me, inside I would gladly set the world and I on fire. But I have the strong feeling that once this emperor business is over, I'm still stuck here."

She waited for Lucien to make some sort of obscure, cryptic response on the balances of the Dread Lord's will, but was surprised to hear not a single murmur from him. She took this as a silent truth, turning back and leaving. "I thought as much..." She whispered under her breath.

 

~*~

 

She rode through the night, making it into the early break of dawn in the tip portion of the Hjallmarch hold. She stopped and held him up in a place she would remember, near an abandoned house where she first met Astrid.

She didn't bother lingering near the shack, not even so much as glancing to it. She didn't want to feel remorse over her newly deceased leader, especially when she doesn't deserve it. She just needed to focus on her current and goal, but before she even approached Kartiliah she needed to pay someone a visit.

She relieved herself of her bag, settling it on Shadowmere to keep safe. She dipped a hand in the water, snatching it back from the cold, still water. "You can do this Carc, if you've survived the Crisis you can survive a little cold water..." She told herself as she dipped her foot in.

She plunged herself farther in the deeper depths, keeping her head just above to see the Solitude docks almost completely vacant. She found a small ladder to help her climb up once she swam close enough, shaking herself off. She kept down, though, seeing Commander Maro patrolling the docks. She smiled at this, slinking back into the cold water with a sinister smile.

What Maro was not expecting was to be alone. He found everything to be quiet, too quiet almost. With the death of the Brotherhood he was on the prowl for any other sort of dangerous organization that could threaten the Emperor's life, but luckily he was to be leaving soon.

He heard a strange bubbling noise rise just off the docks, but the water was too murky to see what exactly was on the other side. He crouched down, holding his torch closer to the surface. Ripples began to break the calm surface, his eyes squinted as a form began to take. "By the gods..."

A hand shot out of the water, grasping his forearm and pulling him into the cold water. It took him a split second to register the new, freezing feeling around him and held on to what breath he was left with.

He could make out the same assassin that got away just a day ago, now gripping her small hands around his throat and squeezed. He could feel the small amount of air he had left stop at his throat, one of his arms reaching for his greatsword. He couldn't quite get a grip, the heavy metal even floating out of its sheathe.

He felt himself losing his grasp on his surroundings, fearing he wouldn't make it through this ordeal. He struggled for a single moment longer, soon his hand only felt heavy. The struggling had stopped and now he only floated in the murky water, no longer a threat of Carciniea's family for the time being.

She quickly swam up to the surface, taking in a sharp breath of fresh air. She took this spare moment to calm her nerves, working herself up too much during the small ordeal. She laid her head back, before being plunged back under the cold water.

Maro had yanked her back under, not quite dead yet. She tried to free herself from his grasp, using her free foot to kick him back in the face. Carciniea didn't waste a moment swimming back up to the surface, this time not wasting a second hunting after the Katariah.

 

~*~

 

Carciniea managed to sneak on board the wide imperial ship, managing to sneak through with some help of Lucien. The fact the moment of slaying the Emperor of the Imperial empire seemed almost unbelievable, as if any moment something was going to get in the way and the assassination was going to be prolonged further.

Lucien assured her there was nothing to fear, but it was no secret now there were a few things he was hiding from her...

She managed to snatch the Katariah master key from Lieutenant Salvarus, who managed to find her in the midst of fishing out his pocket. Her spectral friend once more paid help with this, offing him quickly and quietly. Once she managed to pull it out, she shut the door quietly behind them and secured it.

She moved upwards, entering the quarters that belonged to the Emperor Titus Mede ll. She almost fell over at the sight of him, but did managed to trip over her foot. She immediately shot straight back up, trying her best to keep a professional look. After all, she was going to be the last person he sees.

"And, once more, I prove Commander Maro the fool. I told him you can't stop the Dark Brotherhood. Never could," the Emperor shook his head, sighing, lifting himself from his seat and making his way around his desk, "Come now, don't be shy. I know you couldn't have come this far just to stand there gawking."

"Oh. Oh, right. Heh." She rubbed one of her arms, slowly approaching the older gentleman, "Forgive me sir, Emperor, person- I, just didn't know you were expecting me."

"But of course. You and I have a date with destiny. So it's been with assassins and emperors, hm? Yes, I must died. And you must deliver the bow. It is simply the way it is. But I wonder... Would you suffer an old man a few more words before the deed is done?"

His whole attitude and behavior managed to throw her off guard. Most people begged for their lives, maybe even bribe their ways out. But he seemed perfectly content with what laid ahead of him, as if who Carciniea was didn't bother her in the slightest.

She managed to catch his attention at the last second, nodding hesitantly, "I, uh... Yes, yes."

"I thank you for your courtesy," he bowed in return, "You will kill me, and I have accepted that fate. But regardless of your path in life, I sense in you... Strength. A great strength, at that. So I ask a favor of you. An old man's dying wish. While there are many who would want me dead, there lays a certain person who set the machine in motion. This person, whoever he or she may be, must pay for their treachery. Once you have been rewarded for my assassination, you must kill the very person who ordered it. Will you do me this kindness?"

She stared at him in silence. She held no certain expression other than indifference, though in her head she was still processing everything she had just been told. In all honestly, Carciniea wasn't entirely what kind of response something like that required.

"Perhaps you'll at least consider it then, hmm? Now, onto business at hand..." He turned his back to her.

Lucien had materialized once he turned his back, her friend grabbing her dagger and forcing it into her hand. "So close, my Listener! You've come so close, you can't stop now," he looked to her, a deep strange look she hadn't seen before shown in his eyes. "Please... You must."

He tried to nudge her to the Emperor, but she attempted to resist. "I don't think I can..." She tried to pull herself away, lowering herself to a whisper.

"You must," he grabbed her by the forearm, finally getting her to look away and at him, "This is destiny. You and the Emperor were destined for this moment, just as you and I were destined to meet each other. Do you understand?"

She nodded her head, not entirely sure what certain parts were meant as. She figured some things were best left to be unsaid and if he did have any sort of emotional attachment, he would shut himself away until it left.

Carciniea looked back to the Emperor, who was busy looking through to the sunrise. Dawn was finally upon them, ready to start the day for the innocent villagers of Skyrim and all of Tamriel. She held her old blade, taking a few wide steps towards the Emperor and plunged it upward into his back.

She felt him instantly slump back against her, she held him under his pits with one arm and maneuvered her other arm to drop the crimson covered dagger and carry him to his seat. She seated him, propping him up to look like he had just fallen asleep in his chair.

Lucien placed a hand on her shoulder, gripping it tightly, "You did... Good. Now it is time for us to leave."

She hesitated for a few minutes, waiting to see if anything would change at all. But instead the boards around her still creaked, the splashing of waves, the dull silence, remained there and all the same. It was probably time she forgot about any chances of going back to the Void, that maybe she was doomed to stay on Nirn.

She didn't say a word to Lucien, only slamming the doors open me leaping back into the cold water that awaited her. The bittersweet feeling that had just followed her was now just a large lump in the pit of her stomach.

 _Maybe this is how Lucien became so emotionless?_ she thought as she hit the freezing water, _The guilt just built up and soon just stopped caring? Like when you lose interest in someone or something all at once, when you find out they're not thy great. And you feel as though someone took a blindfold off you..._ She closed her eyes, letting these thoughts sink in.

 

~*~

 

Carciniea slammed open the doors to the Bannered Mare, everyone seemed to have instantly dropped everything they were doing to gawk at the assassin. Her armor and hair dripped water all over the floor, with each step through the main room her boots squeaked. She shot some of the residents a small glare, much too tired from the events of the past few days. She was surprised she had any energy left to walk.

She opened the doors to Motierre's room, hanging through the doorway to spot the man.

"Aha! You're back!" He lit up the second he saw her, looking ready to hug her until he saw how damp she looked from the travel.

"Titus Mede ll lies dead," she deadpanned, shutting the doors behind her and seating herself on his bed.

"I know! I know! I just received the news, not moments ago! This is glorious! Aha!" He moved himself next to her, taking her hand and giving it a few kisses with gratitude, "My friend, you may not realize it, but you have served the Empire, indeed all of Tamriel, in ways you cannot imagine. Ah, but you care little for politics am I right? You want money! And money you shall have! Ah, but you're payment is in a dead drop. It is inside an urn, in the very chamber where we first met in Volunruund."

She didn't react much to his words, some going in one ear and right out the other. She mostly nodded and smiled at his words, only the last part taking any effect on her hearing. She just gave a grunt as she lifted herself from the bed, whereas she much rather nap on it. "I'll be on my way, then," she shrugged, beginning to open the doors once more.

She felt him place a hand on her shoulder, tugging her back ever so gently. She kept a firm hand on the door, listening to him as his voice and turned into a darker tone, "Ah, but don't go too far. You're a girl who knows her way around, don't you? You are quite a reliable one, I'm sure you'd do just fine freelancing. I'll be sure to keep you in mind if I need anyone else hacked off." His hand finally slid off her shoulder, "Now please, go. Collect your money and let's just be done with each other until further notice. Our business, thank the gods, is over."

She left without another word, dragging herself through the city and trying her best to not accidentally run into any civilians. She did her best to wake herself up for only a little bit longer, just long enough to get to Shadowmere and hop on her horse.

She leaned her head against his mane, trying her best to keep her eyes open. She was almost asleep when she remembered about the payment. It had almost completely escaped her mind, Shadowmere shaking her awake along the road.

"If I get up I just might collapse," she told herself, letting out a long groan. "This is what I get for being in an assassin..."


	14. Best Friends Forever

"I hope you have brought back good news, Carciniea," the Redguard, Nazir, said rather sternly to seeing the young Listener back so soon.

She kicked her feet up on the opposite side of the table from where he sat, sitting back in the old wooden chair, "Nothing to worry about, friend. Titus Mede ll is now a thing of the past."

"Truly? Could you have brought us happier news?" Nazir let out a jolly laugh, looking as if he was going doing some sort of victory dance in his seat, "From recent events notwithstanding, this a happy day for us, friend. Despite your misfortunes you have stayed true to the Dark Brotherhood. And for that, you have our eternal thanks."

She tried her best to suppress a yawn, waving a hand, "Really, it's fine. I'm used to things like this."

"Now this, I must ask... Killing the Emperor and all..." He leaned in, "How much did Motierre pay?"

"About twenty thousand or so gold. It could be better I suppose, but it was worth it. The little creep might have even paid me a little more, with that strange gleam he had in his eyes..." She mumbled the last part. She wondered if keeping Motiere alive was a mistake.

"Ha! Remarkable! The old bastard certainly made it worth your while, hasn't he? Now, might I offer some advice? Go down to Riften and speak to Delvin Mallory. I believe Astrid had you visit him once before, no? Mallory is an expert in obtaining goods. We can use him to remodel and refit this Sanctuary and make it a good home. You do that, and I'll see about recruiting some new members for our family..."

"Work never seems to end, does it?" She laughed. She shook her head, biting her tongue to keep her from saying something rude. She wasn't exactly happy with the not-so-warm welcome she received, but at least she could take peace in the inn at Dawnstar.

She noticed the Night Mother's sarcophagus that sat off to the side, giving it a sideways glance before taking her leave. Halfway out the door she could feel the cold air slip rough the crack just as usual, her ankle feeling the sharp nip as she opened the door.

She was genuinely surprised to not have heard any comment or seen hide nor hair of Cicero. This had left her slightly unsettled, though she was sure wherever the little jester run off, he was perfectly fine. She chuckled to herself at the thought of the redhead making himself a small flower crown in replacement of his hat.

"Daydreaming, Carciniea?" She heard Lucien sneer.

She stretched her legs, starting Shadowmere off on a small trot towards the town. "Something like that," she murmured, not feeling quite up to thinking of some sort of retort.

She heard him laugh, her stomach waking up up with a sharp churn as she could almost feel his lips ghost over her ear, "Ah, but we wouldn't want an accident now, do we?"

She felt herself instinctively sit up straight, turning to him and making a face, "Oh don't you go around and sending even more mixed signals, mister. I think you've already sent more than enough."

She halted Shadowmere to the side of Dawnstar's Windpeak Inn, wagging a finger at Lucien. Carciniea was a big over-joyous as she purchased a cheap room for the night, immediately plopping onto it with another thought on her mind. She had been waiting for this moment, instantly drifting off to sleep...

Everything quickly turned black and on its own, her mind painting a scene around her. There was a dark room around her, poorly lit and an awful stench filling up the air. Despite the poor lighting she could make out a small little red headed girl, shaking in the corner closest to the door.

There was shuffling and muttering right outside, but something forbid her from moving around and comforting the youthful girl.

"We've heard disturbances of screaming, sir. I don't recall the Sarethi family mentioning that they'd be packing up to move to Solstheim," said a gruff, Nordic voice.

"Ah, the Sarethi family. They mentioned they had a close cousin who fell sick and they went to their family's rescue at once. They were kind, yes. I had recently received a letter from them just the other day that..." The voice paused as another set of footsteps grew closer to the door, "Please sir, we mustn't touch what isn't ours."

 _Lucien?_ she thought. The voice was uncanny.

"Do you have the letter with you now?" Another, much more softer, voice asked.

"I..." There was a long, dramatic sigh, "Why must you all make things so difficult...?"

There was a scream or two that followed after the distinct sound of slicing through flesh. Thumping sounds echoed and vibrated through the room. The little girl seemed to be on the verge of tears at the thumping sound, inching closer to the door.

She opened the door up wide, a tall figure standing out vividly in the dull-colored scene. They stood before the bodies of three guardsmen, slowly turning their face towards Carciniea and the girl. She could make out the undeniable face of Lucien Lachance, looking almost angry.

The scene around her quickly dissolved into a black as she heard the whisper of a child: " _Lucien, I'm scared._ "

This sudden sound immediately woke Carciniea up from her rest. She lifted her head up to reassure herself she was all alone, slowly leaning her head back down once the coast was clear.

"Bad dreams, my Listener?" She heard her ghostly companion ask.

She rolled onto her stomach, groaning, "Stay out of my dreams, Luce."

He chuckled, "I never thought I'd hear those words coming from you."

 

~*~

 

The trip to Riften was, thankfully, a short one. The roads were quiet and gave Carciniea the peace of mind she had been looking for. She was finally embracing the new weight on her shoulders, though the emotional pain had long since ceased. Now it was a numbing burden that plagued her mind.

She didn't mind this, though. She had dealt with emotions much similar to this and carried on just fine, despite the one difference. Lucien hadn't shown himself since she left Dawnstar, this disappearance reawakening another worry she had for Cicero.

Still, she needed to keep herself calm and collected for just a little while longer.

She headed through the Ratway that was held underneath the slime of the city itself, getting lost a few times before Lucien managed to point her in the right direction. The Ragged Flagon remained dusty and lonesome as ever, with the same old customers at that.

Carciniea took a seat opposite of Delvin Mallory, leaning against the table with both arms propped up, "I heard you could refit the Dawnstar Sanctuary."

"The Dawnstar Sanctuary? That's where you lot are holed up now?" Delvin made a face at his new company, sitting back, "Hm... I'll tell you what, it'll cost you- a lot- But I can help you out. What exactly are we talking about here?"

She took out the fat wad of coin from her pocket, dropping it on the table, "Everything. I want the entire thing patched and made good as new. I'll pay for everything."

Delvin took a piece of parchment and began to scribble down while muttering to himself, "Banners, yes, that'll pretty up the place... A poisoner's nook for the wee one... Get you a nice chamber fit for a king... Ah, yes it's not the Dark Brotherhood without one of these... And what's a secret society without a secret entrance?" He paused, sliding her the paper, "There you go, now."

Carciniea picked up the paper and felt a sad smile come on as she read the total price, sighing, "That's okay, I like being poor anyway..."

He chuckled to himself, "I hope the old place is livable now. Good luck with your, er... Murders and such."

She immediately took her leave, missing the smell of fresh air. The sewers were never the type of place for a girl like her to stay, especially with the foul stench that followed... She climbed out of the Ratways and out of the waterways right below it.

Instead of immediately taking her leave of Riften she lingered there just a little longer; the city was so close to Cyrodilic land she could also feel herself back in her former home. She made a face at the temple of Mara, going through one the openings to the side and spotting a small little cemetery that was filled with tombstones and bits of nightshade. Carciniea leaned on the fence, overlooking the very small graveyard.

"Oh, the pain of mortality," she plucked out one of the nightshades, examining it closely, " Knowing one day you're going end up six feet under without actually knowing when."

"You sound more and more pessimistic by the day, it seems."

"If anything I'm sounding more and more like you. Becoming cynical and almost unfeeling... I'm unlocking the secrets of the great Lachance. The only difference is soon enough I'll be wasting away. But maybe that's how I was meant to be- Lonely and pessimistic."

She felt a sudden cold grip on her forearms pulling her around out of surprise. Lucien held her in a close grip, their faces fairly close to one another, "Look into my eyes, Listener. Know that you are not the only one who suffers in these terms."

In just half a moment she felt her heart melt at the feeling of such actions. She did as he commanded, right before the last brick was taken down from her walls she pulled herself away and built them back up stronger than ever.

She let out a rather cold laugh, her voice became ice,"Oh, what? Are you going to admit to secret feelings you had for me at the start? Of course not, because that's for fairy tales and princesses and... Well, I'm far off from a princess." She took notice of how Lucien's eyes widened, "What? Were you under some assumption I planned on staying here as long as I could? If that's the case, you obviously don't know me as well as I thought you did."

"I never said I was here as a social call," he barked at her, which Carciniea flinch back and turn away from him. Lucien slumped his shoulders, taking a step forward and reaching for her hand, "Listener-"

"I remember how it felt to suffer," she deadpanned, the crickets and insectlife even quieting down, "To get to the point where it hurts most, where the Void is just outside your door... I remember that. I want to know that suffering again so when I do return home I can count my blessings and never leave anyone's side. This isn't about hopeless longing anymore, Luce. This has gone on long enough. It's time for my curtain call."

Lucien remained silent. The decrease of sound managed to get Carciniea to turn around out of curiosity, to see him still there.

"Isn't it? Or are you just hiding one more thing from me?"

Still there was the empty void of silence. Lucien only looked away, letting outa sigh and whispering something too low for the Listener to hear.

"I'll see you back at the Sanctuary if you won't talk, then," she immediately took her leave of the small garden, not looking back.

 

~*~

 

" _MOTHER!_ " She heard a very delighted Cicero squeal the second she stepped into the Dawnstar sanctuary.

She chuckled to herself at this, walking herself through the narrow corridor and into Cicero's line-of-sight.

" _LISTENER_!" Cicero squealed even louder, leaping from the top of the Night Mother's sarcophagus onto the floor to greet Carciniea. He ran up to her and for just a second she thought he was going to kiss her, her eyes instinctively closing shut as she felt his cheek brush against her own. She felt his arms clamp tightly around her waist, his naturally high-pitched voice turned to a more somber tone, "I missed you."

She felt him drop to his knees, his grasp tightening. His head nuzzled against her thigh; she could already guess the pure isolation of being away from even his precious Night Mother broke him just a little more.

She couldn't help but rejoice in being back in his presence, a strange, yet vaguely familiar feeling emerged from it. "I missed you, too," she laughed.

She bent down to his eye-level, picking his face up by the chin. "What's wrong, little man?" She questioned, taking notice of the tears that stained his rather fair skin, "I thought jesters were suppose to be happy?"

"Cicero is happy... Yes, Cicero is jubilant!" He sprang to his feet, dancing, "What a truly merry day it is for the Listener to come and stay, with Cicero, and the Mother! All together, like a happy family..."

"Yes, we are!" She laughed at the sight of him, before being pulled into his silly dance.

He spun her around with one hand on her shoulder and another clasped her hand tightly, dipping her so low at Carciniea thought he was going to plop her on the ground. Her feet couldn't come close to keeping up with his fast pace, instead it looked like Cicero was trying to drag her around.

" _The Listener is back, oh what a jolly jester that makes me..._ " Cicero sang.

She could see her other two friends sitting together down below, her face instantly becoming pale. She squirmed out of his grasp, craning her neck to confirm her fears. She slowly descended down the steps, Nazir and Babette immediately locking eyes with her. She let out a guilty laugh as she reached the bottom step; she rubbed one arm as she choked out a nervous laugh, "Hey guys..."

"Why am I not surprised to learn Cicero is alive?" Nazir folded his arms, looking and sounding stern as ever.

Her jaw hung open as she attempted to form some kind of comprehensible statement. Srs he raised her eyebrows, holding up her hands as a surrender, "I can explain, I swear. You see, what happened was that I was going to kill him-"

"That's a lie."

"... Okay you got me there," she slumped her shoulders, "But he had the saddest little eyes and the cutest little face! I couldn't lift a knife to someone like that!"

Nazir gave her a hard look for a long moment, making the Listener more uncomfortable than she cared to let on. He finally let out a long breath, "I still can't stomach the clown, but if you've welcomed him, I won't question it."

"So wait... Cicero's alive?" Babette finally spoke up, trying to make sense of all this, "And we're all friends again?"

Carciniea shrugged, "Well... Yeah, pretty much."

Babette rolled her eyes, sighing, "I swear, I can hardly keep up..."

She let out a hollow laugh as she scratched the back of her head, "Yeah, me too." She took her leave of the conversation, the second she turned her back she could hear the two whispering to each other once more.

She wandered around the halls and corridors, taking note of the new decorations Mallory had installed along with a couple initiates Nazir had gathered. No one seemed to have noticed her other than her close colleagues.

She managed to have found the bedrooms after the wandering, the room at the end of the hall was nice and large. Truly fit for the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood. She smiled at the large bed, plopping her back on it as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Carciniea felt her tired and exhausted body grow restless as she finally found comfort on the bed. She managed to come close to sleep, but something small would make her eyelids snap open in fear. It was usually Babette wandering into one of the other rooms or the wind blowing in.

By the time she did almost manage to fall asleep, she felt a shift in the weight of the bed, her eyes eager to open up and see what kind of disturbance dared bother her but she felt too tired. It was probably just her paranoia getting the best of her again.

"My little Listener, sleeping so soundly..." Cooed a sweet, deranged voice.

She opened her eyes to see Cicero right above her. She opened her mouth to speak, but the jester held a finger to her lips and hushed her. Despite this, she did as he commanded.p

Cicero gave her a wide grin, keeping his voice to a mere hush, "Oh, you were a fool to spare me. What, did you think I'd be grateful?" He pulled out a blade dark as midnight, gliding it up her throat, "How naïve of you... Can I let you in on a little secret?" He inched closer, their noses poking one another, "Cicero is supposed to be Listener."

 _I guess this is how it all ends for Carciniea_ , she cursed herself, _Done in by a mad yet adorable little jester..._

His grin only widened as his blade came to a halt at the nape of her throat. She swallowed, closing her eyes tight as waited for her life to end.

But to her surprise instead of the blade sinking into her neck, Cicero fell off the bed from laughing so hard. "Gotcha!" He laughed, pointing a finger at her as his face began to turn beet red, "Oh, Listener, you should see the look on your face!"

He began to sit up until he smacked down by a pillow. Carciniea leapt onto him, pulling him up by the collar, "I have just one thing to say to you..." Cicero's eyes went wide until she pulled off his hat that sat on his head, "Did you go through my bag?"

"Just for the hat!" He snatched the hat back, holding it tightly against his face, "Cicero loves hit hat!"

Something in the corner of Carciniea's eye distracted her from the mad jester. She turned her head out the door to see Lucien halfway down the corridor. Something about the look in his eye and his presence manage to puncture a hole in her previous mood. It was a shallow reminder of what she really yearned for- What she told her spectral companion back in the Rift.

In just the blink of an eye, all that was left was an ethereal mist. She felt Cicero lean his head against her shoulder, singing, "Best friends... Forever."


End file.
